Genesis Offroad Dual Battery System
- Thread starter Jim1911
- Start date
trailraider
Active Member
If you want one, just build it.
I built mine for a couple hundred and it works great.
Duel battery monitor , auto and manually switched. I now have all non essentials running off aux battery and I can leave my Fridge plugged in 24/7 when its loaded . granted was over kill, but I enjoyed the project.
disclaimer, I have a front and rear dash cam that I have running on the aux battery 24/7. prior to the aux battery install it would kill the battery over a weekend.
I built mine for a couple hundred and it works great.
Duel battery monitor , auto and manually switched. I now have all non essentials running off aux battery and I can leave my Fridge plugged in 24/7 when its loaded . granted was over kill, but I enjoyed the project.
disclaimer, I have a front and rear dash cam that I have running on the aux battery 24/7. prior to the aux battery install it would kill the battery over a weekend.
Just looking at the options. I personally don't like the fact to replace the Accessory battery on the JL you have remove the circuit box. I also like the option of having the backup option for the boost if my battery goes dead. I did purchase from this sites Amazon store the portable jumper, But I personally like a backup if that goes down. Just my former military experience way of thinking. That is why I wanted to get opinions from those who have it and what they think of it.
Thanks for the Idea I appreciate it.
trailraider
Active Member
These are the items I used. Works great and was inexpensive. the rest you just have to tinker to get it working.
Okay, cool. Just wondering. To me, that's a ton of money to be spending and a lot of work to install for something something that you only have to replace once every 3-4 years. Not to mention, you can buy a LOT of batteries for that money too. I should note, I used to run dual batteries all the time on my other Jeeps or at least, back when they were actually needed. Just trying to save you some dough.
Oh, also, if you're running aftermarket fenders or have removed the liners, you can remove the battery from underneath as well.
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If you're gonna do it, this is the way I would. Paying over $1k for something you can do for so much less just makes no sense to me.
Snboarder113
Hooked
I mean… the same could be said about most mods
this one just seems a little extra excessive.
trailraider
Active Member
NOW STOP THAT. all mods are really needed, just have to prioritize. lolI mean… the same could be said about most mods
this one just seems a little extra excessive.
Snboarder113
Hooked
I’m not your wife, don’t have to convince me dude.
The System it self if only $599. I'm not sure where you are getting 1K. If you are talking about with the Batteries that is almost a wash with the batteries if the need to replace your batteries anyway. It cost around $150 more for the batteries since your going from the small accessory battery to a full size battery. So, in reality you are Paying the Initial $599 for the Setup not 1k.I mean… the same could be said about most mods
this one just seems a little extra excessive.
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Sounds like you got your mind made up. Buy it.
I'm just checking my options and seeing if anyone has had the Genesis system and it appears no one here has had one. Since no one has information on it information on it. With that said I have learned of other options to look into.
JimLee
Hooked
I've got it, works great for my needs, the only problem besides cost is if you use ESS alot. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
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The Install looks pretty straight forward. Did you have any issue with the Install and what type of accessories have you run off it? Also, Have you ever needed to use the boost and if you have how well did it work for you? Thanks for any help you can provide.
JimLee
Hooked
I had no problems with the install, two things I can think of to watch for. 1) You have to disassemble the PDC, this can be intimidating to some but it's not really bad at all, follow the instructions and watch their videos and you'll be fine, just take your time and be gentle with with the connectors so you don't mess up any pins. Once you've done it you'll see it's not as bad as people think. 2) You will have to push the dipstick tube over a little bit so it doesn't ride on the side of the battery tray, mine only took thumb pressure, you just don't want to get crazy and end up with a pinch in the tube. It took me ~ 4 hours to complete the install of the entire kit/batts.
Connected to my aux batt I have: 1) CB (hardwired/fused so I don't lose my settings) 2) A switch unit (I have an sPOD, I bought it before I found out about some shady things they did here that made some people angry a while back, anyway it's installed and it works well so I plan to keep it) 3) Winch, with a Warn solenoid power disconnect that is triggered from my sPOD (this switch is setup to only run with engine running although I have done some short pulls without engine running before I set it up this way, and could quickly bypass if I needed to winch without engine in an emergency) 4) KC Lightbar (night runs when it's 120 out during the day FTW, run through the sPOD) 5) LED rear bumper/ backup lights (The JL backup lights suck and I backed into a wall in a mine I was turning around in, it's also great for seeing old ladies behind you at night when backing out of a parking spot, and they love it, trust me, also run through sPOD) 6) I have an 100 amp service (100 amp marine breakerat batt side) running to bus bars in the rear cargo tub which then feeds an aux fuse panel on an AAL remote panel. Powered by the rear power 100 amp service/ aux fuse panel I have: 1) ARB dual compressor (AAL rear tub mount) 2) Fridge power 3) LED tailgate table light 4) AUX cigarette lighter style power plug (usually used with a USB adapter in it to recharge phones, tablets, handheld GMRS radios and various other small batts, powered dildos and what not). I have extra fuse slots in the rear aux panel and switches on the sPOD and future plans include; ARB locker solenoids, rock lights, and maybe some extra rack mounted and interior LED lighting for camp lighting purposes (you wouldn't believe how much of California camp fires are banned from). Me and the wife have camped off grid for 3 days running a 43q fridge and various lights/ charging devices without starting the Jeep up and not ran the aux battery out of juice, but I will caveat that by saying I have an 80W hood mounted solar panel that is always recharging my batts (in sunlight of course). I think you could go a week without the solar (based on our use) and probably almost indefinitely with the solar before draining the aux batt. Since the system automatically disconnects the batts at 12.5 volts and all of my accessories are isolated to my aux battery my cranking batt has always remained good, I haven't needed the boost button yet.
This brings me around to the reason I went with this set up:
1) I went through 2 of those stupid little Barbie car batts when my Jeep was still stock, fuck those cheap ass batts. And this was before the software update that lets you start with a dead "ESS" batt, before that if that batt went dead you were stuck, and my understanding is that the 2018's can't get the update, if the "ESS" batt is dead so is your Jeep (the main power relay for the ignition system is wired to the "ESS" batt). 2) We like camping (well, my wife loves camping...I can take it or leave it) and I knew we were going to have high power demand on these camping trips. 3) Power anxiety, we travel to some pretty remote locations out here, sometimes alone (anyone in the "never wheel alone!" camp, please I don't wanna hear it, I'm a grown ass man and have been doing this my whole life, I like to wheel with friends but they aren't always available when I
So I've decided a dual batt setup is right for me, why Genesis? As others have pointed out you can easily do a little research and make your own isolated dual batt system, and certainly at a cheaper cost, in fact I've done it on several previous offroad vehicles. What it came down to me was simple form factor and convenience. I wanted to keep both batts under the hood, space is at a premium in the JL, and you really have to see how my wife packs (cmon, I know i'm not the only one). The Genesis checks this box for me, and also reduced the number of wiring runs I have to make through or under the Jeep. It is one convenient package that fits well, looks decent (i'm anal about keeping my engine bay decluttered, I've had some vehicles that had shit strewn everywhere and I always hated working on them), and most importantly does what it's supposed to. I don't have a shop good enough to fabricate something as nice as what they sell. Time is also a factor, I have done some pretty labor intensive things on my Jeep, like wiring up that rear service, but I work like a dog and time is at a premium for me and lets face it every hour we spend working on our Jeeps is an hour that we aren't offroading in our free time. A nicely built plug and play solution works for me, maybe not everyone. Jeeping is also my hobby, and I have play money, who doesn't like to spend money to have nice things for their hobby sometimes? Perspective, i've got a ton of expensive guns that don't get shot nearly as much as my dual batt system is used. The cost of the batts are a wash, if you are doing any kind of dual batt setup you are going to have to buy batts, that being said I think the actual Genesis system (tray, wiring, and controller) isn't that bad for aftermarket Jeep parts, but my price range tolerance may be different than others. These are the reasons I went with the Genesis system, and I don't regret it.
A couple of things to consider: 1) The JL's charging system isn't designed to properly maintain two group 25 batts, It'll do fine if you are doing long trips, but daily driving and short commuting is going to have your batts slowly discharging. If you have a Rubicon or tow package you have a higher output alternator but will still most likely need to do some extra battery maintenance if you don't run it regularly long enough to top the batts all the way off. My solar panel helps my setup alot, but once a month I top off my batteries using a 20A smart charger to make sure they are at peak charge, which should help a bit with battery life. 2) If you use ESS, after a certain number of restarts the dual batt system will confuse the computer and it will disable the ESS system and give you a "ESS not ready" indication, I think the number is 6, I have my ESS disabled forever so i'm not exactly sure. If you don't use ESS, no big deal, disregard. If you do you use ESS and want to keep that functionality there are some workarounds and reasons that I can speak (somewhat) too.
bobfriesenhahn
Hooked
You drive out in Death Valley alone???
What is the amperage specification for your dildo?
After seeing total dysfunction of my 2019 JL when the main battery suddenly went to 5 volts when being started on the morning of a 2000 mile trip, the battery system is what I am most afraid of. I am glad that it failed in the garage. I have never seen such a crazy dash indication and I could not turn it off so I just changed cars and left it on (probably should have disconnected the main battery). Two weeks later it was fully off.
What is the amperage specification for your dildo?
After seeing total dysfunction of my 2019 JL when the main battery suddenly went to 5 volts when being started on the morning of a 2000 mile trip, the battery system is what I am most afraid of. I am glad that it failed in the garage. I have never seen such a crazy dash indication and I could not turn it off so I just changed cars and left it on (probably should have disconnected the main battery). Two weeks later it was fully off.