2024 F250 with 6.8L gas.
I'm planning to run 4AWG wire from the battery to a bus bar and fuse block in the bed. I have a fuel pump on an extra tank and an air pump for airbags to run off the fuse block. I'm also planning to add a DC to DC charger in the future for a lithium power station. There will be a fuse at the battery. (80 amp)
Any objections or concerns with this set up? Also, can I add a second battery to the system at the bus bar?

 

Do you mean a 2nd battery for the truck, located in the bed and attached to the bus bar? If so it would be sharing starter current with the original battery, through an 80amp fuse. I wouldn't do it that way.

 

Check out HellRoaring backup battery/isolator. The second battery only charges while the engine is running then is automatically isolated. With the BIC-95300B you can flip a switch to start the truck if the primary battery dies. We use 2/0 Wire. I had that system installed on two previous trucks and it worked great. You then normally hook everything extra up to your primary battery. There are other ways to hook it up as well.

 

I don't know that I need a second battery, but if I add one I'll put it on a separate circuit with an isolator. Thanks!

 

Measure max amp load with everything on that you might use all at once. Then fuse it a bit higher, might be well below 80A. No doubt OP did a voltage drop check based on acceptable V drop for powered devices, wire run lengths, AWG, and anticipated max amp loads - plenty of online resources. Dont use amazon breakers since some have been demonstrated to NOT break circuit on overload. I just stick with automotive blade style fuses....even offshore stuff will absolutely work in my experience. Then there are those nagging safety concerns, about using engine-compartment rated (temp) insulated wire and loom.

My way of getting 12v to bed of truck is to connect to the 7 pin battery charge wire, but this opens Pandora's box which is full issues in fooling the Ford trailer module into thinking a trailer is connected (so this wire is energized) when no trailer is connected.

 

So, I'm planning on adding a Bluetti Charger 2 in the near future. They provide 6AWG wire and a 75 amp terminal fuse with it. It's an 800W charger so 60 amps (more or less). My fuel pump and the air pump are both rated at less than 10 amps each. I can't imagine running both at the same time. Google says 4AWG wire is good for 80 amps over 15 feet (or 20ft, don't remember now.) So instead of running a bunch of wires to everything I thought it would be better to run one big wire to a bus bar / fuse block and connect everything there. This will all be installed in the bed in a tool box or some other dry box to keep it out of the weather.

 

Something to think about before putting in dc to dc.

 

should be fine..assume wall mounting on side of the bed...would wire loom the wire run to help with abrasion...make sure the wire is pure cooper.

at charge voltage voltage drop would be less than 3% for a 12ft run. voltage drop would be higher if you frame ground vs running a ground to battery terminal.

 

Yep, seen several videos like that in my research.
I’m not going to be running the charger full blast all the time.
Probably 5 or 6 times a year that we take the RV out.

 

Great video, thank you for posting. Since a DC-DC charger may be in my future, will definitely will be ordering the larger 250A alternator on my F350.

 

That video states the obvious… if you want to use a dc2dc charger don’t plan on getting the smallest alternator. Or if you already have the truck and decide to add a dc2dc charger later, simply know what size alternator you have before installing a dc2dc charger and size appropriately. I run a Victron XS 12/12/50 on my truck, which is a smaller draw than what the guy in the video used, but I also have almost twice the alternator that he does at 332 amps. When I ordered my truck I purposely ordered the larger alternator because I wanted to install a dc2dc charger later.

Also, it only makes sense that if I am going to add a load to my system that the alternator will then have to work a little harder, which translates to the alternators life will be shortened by some extent (or as he put it: “destroying my alternator” which is a bit drastic I think, but it helps with clicks!)

It’s also worth noting that my Victron XS charger is a smart charger and will actually reduce current based on input voltage levels, which will protect my alternator for those times I do have to come to a stop at the red light or whatever. I would imagine Victron isn’t the only company making these smart chargers now…

This video actually makes me wonder more about those guys that plan to idle their trucks often so that they can use the onboard pro power more than someone wanting to add a 30 or 50A dc2dc charger.

 

The engine revs up when pro power is engaged. That guy would do well to just install a slightly smaller pulley on his alternator since the 80%+ duty cycle clears up quickly with a little extra RPM.

 

Gotcha. I have always felt the pro power was gimmicky and that a stand alone $1k generator would be a better idea than idling a $70k vehicle so I haven't spent much time figuring it out. But, I was happy to finally get to add the Orion XS DC2DC charger earlier this year. I am glad I waited til I did, otherwise I would have went with the smaller 30A charger.

 

No arguments there!

 

Here's Victron produced video showing an alternator smoking hot when direct charging a lithium iron phosphate battery. It also, plugs Victron products that solve this potential problem.