Alternator Type for 2019 Prado

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

I have searched and seen similar questions asked for earlier years Prados but I am checking for my model.
The vehicle's build is April 2019 and I am wondering what type of alternator has been installed? I am not up to speed as some others here, regarding car electrics and have been reading that in some cases, smart alternators do not give enough power to caravans to run all the electrics properly eg a 12V fridge in the van or the van's battery charger.

Or maybe a simpler question would be, does the April 2019 Prado have a suitable alternator to power a 12V caravan fridge and help provide power the van's battery charge if wired in a conventional manner? If not, what simple modifications would be necessary? I am hoping for none, of course.

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

I've got a MY21, and my van has a DC2DC to facilitate charging its batteries. My understanding is that the DC2DC is required partly because of the voltage drop given the length of cable used, and partly because the van has lithiums. The Prado alternator is not a smart alternator, but it is termperature compensating, and it doesn't output a high enough voltage to charge lithiums. I also have a DC2DC in the Prado to charge its auxilliary lithium for this reason.

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

Thanks Gunda for your information.
I know the charger in my van is not suitable for Lithium batteries but I have AGM batteries. So I will make further inquiries with the charger's support team. They have been helpful with other different inquiries.

I am ordering if anyone knows what voltage that the 2019 Prado's alternator puts out? The motor gets working under caravan towing load. Typically runs at 86-87 C as the engine cooling system works fine.

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

I think the alternator puts out around 13.5V, which is not high enough to charge lithiums, or at least not charge them fast enough. I know this because the lithium in my MY21 Prado was initially charged just via a Victron isolator. My auto-electrician had a similar set-up in his new Hilux, and found the charging was too slow, because of the alternator voltage, and so he switched both of us onto Redarc 40A D2DC. I guess the other option would be to replace the alternator. LC200 has a higher voltage alternator and so it can charge lithiums without needing a DC2DC.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Not wishing to hijack but i have similar issues with my2016. The main battery charges at about 13.5 v once it settles down. With a simple VSR the 2nd deep cycle battery appears to charge at the same rate or a fraction higher. The camper has a 20 A DCDC to kick the voltage up for the simple standard battery which runs only LED lights.. On a recent trip the van battery was charging ok but the 2nd battery in the car now appears to only be charging lower than the main and running the fridge overnight knocks it down to about 12.2-12.3. Is this a sign that the 2nd battery [aged 4 years] is dying? Secondly, if I was to replace the VSR with a DCDC what size should I use in this set up? 20, 30 , 40A?

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

@404pug: I assume that your second battery is an AGM? If so, my understanding is that you've done well to get four years out of it. I've never used an AGM, so don't have personal experience, but that's the reputation they have. They're a lot cheaper than a lithium, but weigh a lot more, don't last anywhere near as long, only accept slower rates of charge. You pays your money and you takes your choices. As for a DC2DC, I would talk to an auto-electrician about what rate of charge is optimal for an AGM.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

No the 2nd battery is an ordinary old deep cycle of 105 amps. Not agm but it is 4 years old so I guess it is dying. Its replacement is unlikely to be lithium as I wont have the car beyond another year or so but I am still considering a DCDC of whichever size to kick up the charging of another likely deep cycle.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Alwas go back to first principles. I checked the 2nd battery and realised that it was not the sealed type. Obviously a 5000 km trip with camper attached used up the battery acid. Doh. Topped it up and all is back to normal. Sometimes it is the simple things.