Anyhoooow, ignoring the personal abuse and getting back on topic....
Starfurry, your "I'm going to stick with the DCDC charger" makes me think you've already decided that issue, wisely in my view but you can see it's always a topic that sparks great passion from some.
If you are considering the VSR route instead, one variable worth considering/measuring is your alternator output voltage over an extended period and range of driving conditions. There does seem to be some variation from one 2.8L to another 2.8L and as far as I know, nobody has determined any pattern. The higher your voltage, the less likely you are to suffer from premature battery failure.
The VSR mob are always looking around for some deep cycle battery technology that performs well under those operating conditions, but are starting to run out of options, particularly if you include longevity in the calculation. If you're tempted to think VSR vendors know more about Optima batteries than Optima do, you just need to remember Jimmy's experience. He rocked up to Optima with a premature battery failure and they simply told him "a charging voltage of less than 13.65 volts WILL damage them over time", and good luck getting a replacement camping battery out of Toyota or your VSR vendor. Drivesafe is correct when he says that voltage only matters during the Absorption stage and that's exactly what a charger (AC or DC/DC) does, and at least for most of us, what our 2.8L alternator does not do.
Also be weary of anyone trying to flog you an under-bonnet VSR+LeadCrystal solution. mjrandom has reported excellent performance from lead crystal batteries, but down the back hanging off of a DC/DC charger. The South Africans are reporting premature bulging failures when used up front. They appear to be blaming the lead crystal bulging on a combination of high engine bay temperatures and the very high charging currents you get from Alternator+VSR solutions:
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...attery-problem
Starfurry, your "I'm going to stick with the DCDC charger" makes me think you've already decided that issue, wisely in my view but you can see it's always a topic that sparks great passion from some.
If you are considering the VSR route instead, one variable worth considering/measuring is your alternator output voltage over an extended period and range of driving conditions. There does seem to be some variation from one 2.8L to another 2.8L and as far as I know, nobody has determined any pattern. The higher your voltage, the less likely you are to suffer from premature battery failure.
The VSR mob are always looking around for some deep cycle battery technology that performs well under those operating conditions, but are starting to run out of options, particularly if you include longevity in the calculation. If you're tempted to think VSR vendors know more about Optima batteries than Optima do, you just need to remember Jimmy's experience. He rocked up to Optima with a premature battery failure and they simply told him "a charging voltage of less than 13.65 volts WILL damage them over time", and good luck getting a replacement camping battery out of Toyota or your VSR vendor. Drivesafe is correct when he says that voltage only matters during the Absorption stage and that's exactly what a charger (AC or DC/DC) does, and at least for most of us, what our 2.8L alternator does not do.
Also be weary of anyone trying to flog you an under-bonnet VSR+LeadCrystal solution. mjrandom has reported excellent performance from lead crystal batteries, but down the back hanging off of a DC/DC charger. The South Africans are reporting premature bulging failures when used up front. They appear to be blaming the lead crystal bulging on a combination of high engine bay temperatures and the very high charging currents you get from Alternator+VSR solutions:
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...attery-problem
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