Genesis Offroad | Toyota Tundra Dual Battery Kit

When I first got into Overlanding, I already owned a Toyota Tundra for work. I figured that it would do the trick and get us places to camp and spend time outdoors. Like most hobbies, I tend to get a little carried away. The research began on Youtube, and a rough outline of an Overland truck build started to take shape. The objective was to build a long range, long duration Overland vehicle that wouldn’t compromise the daily driver (work truck) qualities. Bed rack, Rooftop Tent, Awning, Road Shower, Fridge, Steel bumper, winch, lots of lights, Air compressor, ICON suspension, tires, etc. No big deal, right? Fortunately, Genesis Offroad has a solution to help with electrical capacity.

One aspect that I needed to address prior to the addition of a winch, spot lights, flood lights, area lighting and refrigerator, was the Tundra’s electrical system. The factory battery was nothing to write home about and would quickly become overwhelmed with the demands of powering these accessories. I explored upgrading to a larger single AGM battery option from Odyssey. But ultimately opted for a dual battery set-up. Having owned an RV at one point in my life, I really came to appreciate the “house battery” plus “starter battery” configuration. Keeping those two isolated prevented an unwelcome surprise of a dead starter battery after a weekend of camping.

Video Review:

During my research, I came across the perfect offering from Genesis Offroad. They build a Dual Battery Kit for the Toyota Tundra that includes a pre-wired top plate with a smart isolator. Basically taking all the guesswork out of setting up a dual battery configuration for my truck. Saving me a bunch of time and brain activity. The steel tray fits snugly within the original battery location and re-uses the factory battery cables so nothing needs to be re-routed. Installation of the tray is pretty straight forward and includes all the necessary hardware for a secure installation.

Genesis Offroad Gen3 Dual Battery Kit Features courtesy of genesisoffroad.com:

• Completely pre-wired out of the box
• Boost switch included – jump start your vehicle off your second battery
• Power & Ground bus bars make it easy to connect accessories
• Smart Isolator automatically handles all charging functions
• Interface port for the G Screen monitoring system
• Best quality wires, tin-plated copper connectors, and sealed heat shrink tubing
• Powder coated for durability
• Proudly made in the USA
• MSRP: $699

Genesis Offroad carefully sized the dual battery tray to fit a pair identical Group 25 batteries. I opted for two of the AGM Odyssey 25-PC1400’s. These batteries pack an amazing punch for their size. Which is important in the cold climate I have to deal with in the winter. They offer the most cold cranking amps (850 CCA) and reserve capacity (65 Ah) of any brand. And should have more than enough capacity to safely power my electrical accessories on this build.

With all of my accessories wired through an S-POD and connected to the accessory battery, I no longer have to worry about possibly draining my starter battery. With a pre-installed smart isolator controller, the Genesis system takes care of the battery health for you.

Here’s how it works.

“When both your batteries are fully charged at 13.2 volts, they are automatically connected and are charged at the same time. If you park and turn off the engine, but continue to use accessories such as lights or the stereo or a CB, both batteries begin to drain down. When your main cranking battery reaches 12.7 volts, the smart isolator separates the batteries, so that your cranking battery will have enough power to start the engine. The second battery continues to power your accessories for as long as it will last. After you crank the vehicle, your main cranking battery will be charged up to 13.2 volts first, and then the isolator will begin charging your accessory battery. By only charging one battery at a time, your alternator is protected from excessive strain.”

“What if your cranking battery is somehow drained down too low to be able to start the vehicle? We have a solution for that. Press the Start Boost button and the isolator will connect both batteries together for 1 minute, acting like built-in jumper cables to jump start your engine off your accessory battery. As long as the accessory battery has enough power, you’ll be able to start your vehicle instead of being stranded with a dead battery! The alternator will charge both batteries for 1 minute, then switches back over to automatic mode to reduce the strain on your alternator.” -genesissoffroad.com

My $.02:

While a dual battery system is not an absolute necessity to get outdoors in your vehicle, I find it to be a good choice if your budget allows it. Sure you could run the fridge off a portable battery and be mindful when using your running lights or winch. But for me, redundancy is a good thing. That’s probably just the pilot in me. While a battery failure isn’t a life or death issue, it could put you in a sticky situation if you’re far from help. And the way this Overland build has spiraled out of control, I figured it would give me a solid electrical foundation for future electrical modifications. Up next, a lighting package for driving as well as the campsite.