Dual Battery question plus fog lights in bullbar

[Jkspinner Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jkspinner]

Hi all, looking for some advice on dual battery set up for my D4D 150 Prado. Planning on installing a Full River or similar 80AH 2nd battery. I have read through some threads but am a little confused. Can I use a standard ARB or Redarc isolator, I have also read that the standard alternator does not supply enough amps or is low voltage to charge two batteries via the traditional isolator type switch, however I have read that there are people using them and they work fine. If the alternator is low voltage, should I use the low voltage model like the Redarc BCDC 1225 LV.
I have been using the older regulator type isolator switch for years and which has performed sensationally, however the plastic case has seen better days so I need to replace with something either way.

2nd question. I am looking to install either an ARB orTJM bullbar soon. I have not used my factory fog lights in any vehicle in 20 years, so would rather not pay the additional $100 for a set to fit into the bullbar. Can I instead use the wiring to wire up a LED light bar, or LED spotlights. This would save me installing another wiring loom. I am not sure how the factory fog lights work with high beam, am yet to check this out.
Thanks in advance.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

There are as many opinions on auxiliary battery set ups as there are products. I think the majority view is that you can use an isolator such as the Redarc SBi12 and a booster diode. I think the various isolators are all pretty much the same, I used an Anderson unit in my Rodeo utility. In the Prado I went with a BCDC25 but that is mounted with the auxiliary in the back of the Prado. If you do decide to use a DC DC charger make sure it is kept cool because they don't like to get hot also you don't need the LV version for a Prado. At least not yet.

You can use the fog light switch as the isolator for a spot light or lightbar but the light itself must switch on and off with high beam to comply with Qld regulations and ADRs. The regs require the spot lights to be able to be switched off but if the isolator is on the spot lights or lightbar must switch on and off with the high beam lights. In my 90 series I used the fog light switch on the indicator stalk but with the 120 and 150 I just ran the wiring through the firewall and hooked up a separate switch. If you look at my build you can see how I did my lights on the 150.

[Croz Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Croz]

You can mount the factory fog lights into the TJM bar. I have one and have done this as one of the fogs that came with TJM got smashed. When I took them out I realised they are exactly the same as the factory light I had taken out of the factory bar.

Knowing this you could tell TJM not to install lights and then just fit the factory ones into place.

I don't know if this is the same case with ARB...