2006 Tacoma, Alternator and Battery meet 12v / 120v 2000w DC to AC Inverter

[Burnin Since 1991]

A few months back, I bought a Beltt 2000w ac/dc Inverter. My thinking was that I only have a generator to recharge my power station and the power output is pretty sloppy. It runs most everything that I need but I hesitate to use it to charge up my power stations.

After the first of the year or so, I plan to buy 2 inverter generators (budgets). The ones I want run in the $725 - $800 range and are 4000w/3300w. In the interim my goal was to install the Beltt inverter into my Tacoma. The Tacoma has the 4.0L engine with the towing package which includes an 130a alternator. I want to mount the inverter behind the drivers side back seat. The seat folds down and there is plenty of room to mount it there. I have the tools and supplies needed to get the wires from the battery to the inverter.

The inverters task will be to supply 120v, 20a to charge our power stations in case of an extended power outage. The inverter would run about 2 hours

What I can't seem to get figured out, is what size fuse/ breaker to get, and what gauge wire I should use. The inverter comes with 3 feet of 6 gauge wire (even tho the description indicates 4 gauge), but then they tell you not to get the inverter wet. 3 feet in any direction from my battery is going to be wet in wet weather.

The battery is located in the drivers side front of the engine compartment. The wire will run down from the battery and along the driver side under carriage and then up and in between the cab and bed into the truck and a foot or so higher to where the inverter will be mounted.

My thoughts were to be a 20' jumper cable and cutoff the ends and crimp on lugs to the battery and the inverter. 20 feet will give me a little wiggle room in case I mess up a lug or two. It will then be trimmed to fit.

The inverter also needs a ground wire attached. I have 10 gauge PV ground wire I can use for that as well as lugs and self tapers.

So to clarify; what gauge wire for roughly 15 feet and what size breaker? I've seen recommendations anywhere from 4/0 to 4 gauge.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Here are the links to the inverter Beltt 2000w Inverter

Here is the link to the Installation Instructions

Here is the link to the User Manual

 

[Whitenuckler]

A few months back, I bought a Beltt 2000w ac/dc Inverter. My thinking was that I only have a generator to recharge my power station and the power output is pretty sloppy. It runs most everything that I need but I hesitate to use it to charge up my power stations.

After the first of the year or so, I plan to buy 2 inverter generators (budgets). The ones I want run in the $725 - $800 range and are 4000w/3300w. In the interim my goal was to install the Beltt inverter into my Tacoma. The Tacoma has the 4.0L engine with the towing package which includes an 130a alternator. I want to mount the inverter behind the drivers side back seat. The seat folds down and there is plenty of room to mount it there. I have the tools and supplies needed to get the wires from the battery to the inverter.

The inverters task will be to supply 120v, 20a to charge our power stations in case of an extended power outage. The inverter would run about 2 hours

What I can't seem to get figured out, is what size fuse/ breaker to get, and what gauge wire I should use. The inverter comes with 3 feet of 6 gauge wire (even tho the description indicates 4 gauge), but then they tell you not to get the inverter wet. 3 feet in any direction from my battery is going to be wet in wet weather.

The battery is located in the drivers side front of the engine compartment. The wire will run down from the battery and along the driver side under carriage and then up and in between the cab and bed into the truck and a foot or so higher to where the inverter will be mounted.

My thoughts were to be a 20' jumper cable and cutoff the ends and crimp on lugs to the battery and the inverter. 20 feet will give me a little wiggle room in case I mess up a lug or two. It will then be trimmed to fit.

The inverter also needs a ground wire attached. I have 10 gauge PV ground wire I can use for that as well as lugs and self tapers.

So to clarify; what gauge wire for roughly 15 feet and what size breaker? I've seen recommendations anywhere from 4/0 to 4 gauge.

You will need 2/0 copper. I'd use a fuse on the DC+ at the battery. You can use plugs/sockets they make for high current. Search connectors for 2/0. They can be used to disconnect the line when not needed. I bought a DC/DC converter myself, and have it on standby with a long cable. I have the 2000W inverter on my pellet stove with an AC/DC 35A charger.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Ok on the 2/0 that's about what I figured. I saw an anderson connector that I like and I will incorporate. What amperage terminal fuse, you think?
The manual says the DC input calls for 194.6 amps. Unless I'm missing something 200a battery top fuse should work?

 

[Whitenuckler]

Ok on the 2/0 that's about what I figured. I saw an anderson connector that I like and I will incorporate. What amperage terminal fuse, you think?
The manual says the DC input calls for 194.6 amps. Unless I'm missing something 200a battery top fuse should work?

That should be fine. Yes, anderson is the type. I bought a kit that allows you to make your own. Crimp and/or solder the contacts.

 

[gthomas785]

20 amp at 120v is 200 amp at 12v. Your trucks alternator can only supply 130a so you will be draining your truck's battery down to nothing if you pull 200a. I would not suggest running it like that. You need to charge at less than 20a on the AC side.

 

[begreen]

20 amp at 120v is 200 amp at 12v. Your trucks alternator can only supply 130a so you will be draining your truck's battery down to nothing if you pull 200a. I would not suggest running it like that. You need to charge at less than 20a on the AC side.

Usually a set up like this would have a separate deep-cycle battery for the inverter that can be charged either by the inverter/charger or by the alternator. This is how some RVs are setup.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

20 amp at 120v is 200 amp at 12v. Your trucks alternator can only supply 130a so you will be draining your truck's battery down to nothing if you pull 200a. I would not suggest running it like that. You need to charge at less than 20a on the AC side.

That's very true. I was really looking to calculate the maximum draw for the purposes of the fuse/ breaker. I'm looking to have a Plan B in the case of a power outage and the ability to move between 2 locations to keep the power stations charged up when they get low. I can set their input to 600 watts and leave the truck running. It's basically an 18 gallon 2000w inverter/ generator. I wouldn't even run the inverter unless the engine was running. I also have a 4400/3300w generator and I'm hoping to add a dual fuel inverter generator with about the same output. Ideally the 2000w truck inverter is only a temporary setup or in case of emergencies that require some power if I don't have the gen or igen handy. I believe the newer model Tacoma's have inverters in them standard, but I don't know anything about them

 

[pearlibis77]

That's very true. I was really looking to calculate the maximum draw for the purposes of the fuse/ breaker. I'm looking to have a Plan B in the case of a power outage and the ability to move between 2 locations to keep the power stations charged up when they get low. I can set their input to 600 watts and leave the truck running. It's basically an 18 gallon 2000w inverter/ generator. I wouldn't even run the inverter unless the engine was running. I also have a 4400/3300w generator and I'm hoping to add a dual fuel inverter generator with about the same output. Ideally the 2000w truck inverter is only a temporary setup or in case of emergencies that require some power if I don't have the gen or igen handy. I believe the newer model Tacoma's have inverters in them standard, but I don't know anything about them

At a 600w charge rate the truck setup sounds a lot less sketchy, more like a rolling charger than trying to pull the full 2kw. Still nice having the gens as the real backup, fuel disappears fast when the Tacoma becomes the generator.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Usually a set up like this would have a separate deep-cycle battery for the inverter that can be charged either by the inverter/charger or by the alternator. This is how some RVs are setup.

That was my idea when I bought my DC DC charger. I can use it hooked to my truck to charge batteries, or hook it to my huge lithium battery to charge a smaller battery.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

At a 600w charge rate the truck setup sounds a lot less sketchy, more like a rolling charger than trying to pull the full 2kw. Still nice having the gens as the real backup, fuel disappears fast when the Tacoma becomes the generator.

I appreciate the input. Now, The rest of the story. (God Bless You, Paul Harvey)

The two properties are a very long 90 miles from each other. The route includes a very long ride over the Bourne Cape Cod Canal Bridge. The bridge is also one of only two evacuation routes by vehicle between Cape Cod and the rest of the state of Massachusetts. It gets better. Then I have traverse 75 miles of highway through several of the worst roads in the state. A round trip between them could take 3 hours or could take 16 hours. You just never know. The house on Cape Cod currently houses our relatives, a 65 year old woman and an 87 year old woman and an 82 year old man.

I'm working on getting them into a solution that should keep them going 12-16 hours without intervention. I'm on a pretty strict budget and I have parts on the way. I'm trying to get this done before it gets too cold for obvious reasons, but when I'm hooking up the house, I will have a 4k power station running the important stuff while I shut down the power for the transfer switch install.

I'm willing to run my truck and inverter for a couple of hours if it keeps them reasonably comfortable. Hopefully I will get the ok from the boss lady to get the inverter generator, before too long.

They've been in the house since mid August and the power has already gone out twice, both for under an hour. We lost power for 4 days+ after a brutal snow storm hit earlier this year

Feb 22-23, 2026 Cape Cod Snow Storm The power went out mid-day on the 22nd. I waited to the morning of the 24th to go there. I was getting worried about the pipes freezing (Gas Fired Boiler too). I ran the boiler off my power station as well as the tv and using my phone as a mobile hot spot, I was able to get the news and such. When the power came back on the 27th. I was recharging my power station with my generator. I used it as sparingly as I could to extend the runtime.
I brought take out food from a restaurant near my home and cooked on the propane grill. It all worked out!

 

[zrock]

One thing to remember that no one thinks of is letting your truck idle for hours at a time are not healthy for the engine, especially if it has any type of cylinder cut out or econ modes. The bet bet would be a couple of entry level generators that can be had fairly cheap and then upgrade in the future as money permits. Your relatives should be helping a bit with the costs and yes i do realize they are up their in age but even a few $$. I spent a little to much on a gen for camping and have only used it camping once..LOL.. but i have used it in power outages several times. I put a pass though plug on the mud room door so i just plug in the genny and run a extension into the house for all the major things and it works quite well. I did not have the money or the use for a proper transfer switch and on a tank of fuel with the loads im running my gen really never comes off a idle and can go for a few days on a tank of fuel.

 

[begreen]

Look at Champion dual-fuel generators.
One concern is how capable are these tennants of managing the backup power system(s) safely?

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

One thing to remember that no one thinks of is letting your truck idle for hours at a time are not healthy for the engine, especially if it has any type of cylinder cut out or econ modes. The bet bet would be a couple of entry level generators that can be had fairly cheap and then upgrade in the future as money permits. Your relatives should be helping a bit with the costs and yes i do realize they are up their in age but even a few $$. I spent a little to much on a gen for camping and have only used it camping once..LOL.. but i have used it in power outages several times. I put a pass though plug on the mud room door so i just plug in the genny and run a extension into the house for all the major things and it works quite well. I did not have the money or the use for a proper transfer switch and on a tank of fuel with the loads im running my gen really never comes off a idle and can go for a few days on a tank of fuel.

Thanks for that! I've been driving pickups since 1985. The work I did before I retired, required long days of sitting parked in a pickup truck on the side of the road and idling off and on for hours and days in some cases. It's sure not easy on the motor, but I never lost a motor in all those years. Most of them rusted out to the point that they weren't safe on the road.

I hear what you're saying though. Ideally I need a gen or igen in both locations. Unfortunately, I don't control the purse strings at the 2nd house. I am an employee of the owners. (my wife and her three siblings are the owners) Most of the time, they take my advice on how to get things done and make improvements. Last year the house was upgraded to a 200 amp panel and wiring. A few years before that we installed a new Daikin mini-split system with 5 heads. and in between we installed all new faucets and toilets.

This year I am also replacing all of the outlets, switches and their covers in the house.

I installed a Manual Transfer Switch at the main panel and I am in the process of identifying the circuits to power. A 5kwh power station will be installed as soon as I can get to it. Next year will be an additional 5kwh of storage and solar panels. Ideally the igen will work in there as well. I am looking for a smaller tri-fuel fuel model with remote start, so it's easy for my sister-in law to run. The igen will be in a gen box on the side of the house about 8 feet from the power station in the basement. It will have a direct connection to natural gas.

We also have 2 propane tanks and 2; 5 gallon gas cans. So there are options in case of an extended outage. The inverter from my truck is just a stop gap/ plan B (or C... not sure)

I appreciate the input. I wanted to go all out and install a small All in One wall mounted inverter etc etc... I got voted off the island. I was told that I get a budget of $3k for this year and we'll see about next year. I spent every penny of the $3k.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Look at Champion dual-fuel generators.
One concern is how capable are these tennants of managing the backup power system(s) safely?

My sister in law will need some education but she is reasonably intelligent. I'm going to write everything down for her. The power station will run on EPS mode and the MTS will be defaulted to Gen (for the power station) for the circuits it's running. As long as the generator starts with the remote when she needs to recharge the power station she should be all set. I need to make 2XKISS and then write up directions, but it "should" go fine.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Look at Champion dual-fuel generators.
One concern is how capable are these tennants of managing the backup power system(s) safely?

What do yu think about this one?

Champion Tri-Fuel IGen

 

[begreen]

It really depends on what features one actually needs and what a realistic load will look like. We get by with smaller, but have a gas cooktop and woodstove. Our generator mainly powers refrigeration and some lights, no 240v loads.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

It really depends on what features one actually needs and what a realistic load will look like. We get by with smaller, but have a gas cooktop and woodstove. Our generator mainly powers refrigeration and some lights, no 240v loads.

No 240v loads and only essentials. Basically it will be charging up the power station. The max charging rate for the power station via NEMA L5-20 120v is 1800w. If I run that on a 2kw igen it would be running wide open the whole time. I was thinking about either a 5/4k or a 4/3k with remote start. They're in the $700 - $800 range. I really want the ability to run off natural gas though as it just makes it really simple for her (More of a PITA for me though, install wise). The lowest priced tri-fuel with remote start is about $1200 more or less depending where you look.

The Champion 6500 is one such possibility.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

The max charging rate for the power station via NEMA L5-20 120v is 1800w

I found in the manual that there are charging watts from 600 to 1800 so I can dial it back quite a bit, but it takes longer to charge.

 

[Whitenuckler]

No 240v loads and only essentials. Basically it will be charging up the power station. The max charging rate for the power station via NEMA L5-20 120v is 1800w. If I run that on a 2kw igen it would be running wide open the whole time. I was thinking about either a 5/4k or a 4/3k with remote start. They're in the $700 - $800 range. I really want the ability to run off natural gas though as it just makes it really simple for her (More of a PITA for me though, install wise). The lowest priced tri-fuel with remote start is about $1200 more or less depending where you look.

The Champion 6500 is one such possibility.

https://firmanpowerequipment.com/collections/whisper-series/products/wh03342

I bought this one (an older version) for camping. My camper had a 30A 120V system. It is inverter output so the engine speeds up or slows down as required. Mine has never had gas in it. Champion is a better company I think. Firman is Home Depot.

 

[begreen]

If there is natural gas at the premises, then this makes more sense. Note that there are also conversion kits for propane to nat gas.

Who will be managing the regular switchover from the gas generator to the power station and back during an extended outage?

Given the age of the tenants, and the cost of both the generator and the power station, and the available natural gas, it sounds like an automated Generac system might be worth considering. Or a large, whole house battery pack like a Powerwall equivalent. Does the power company or state have any incentive for battery backup systems tied to the grid?

https://ussolarsupplier.com/products/midnite-mnpowerflo16-51-2v-nominal-wall-mount-16kwh-battery

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

If there is natural gas at the premises, then this makes more sense. Note that there are also conversion kits for propane to nat gas.

Who will be managing the regular switchover from the gas generator to the power station and back during an extended outage?

Given the age of the tenants, and the cost of both the generator and the power station, and the available natural gas, it sounds like an automated Generac system might be worth considering. Or a large, whole house battery pack like a Powerwall equivalent. Does the power company or state have any incentive for battery backup systems tied to the grid?

https://ussolarsupplier.com/products/midnite-mnpowerflo16-51-2v-nominal-wall-mount-16kwh-battery

We had a Generac rep out over the summer. He ball parked me 10-12k for their basic auto start/switch ATS etc. I don't think that is unreasonable, but it's a fair amount of money. There is NG at the property and it the vicinity of where the electric service is located. I looked into the incentives and rebates and all of the equipment that is approved is high end stuff. Real high, high end stuff. and it has to be connected to the power company via a most intrusive program called Connected Solutions. It's also the reason I quit buying the incentivized thermostats from them. They can access, monitor and set what they feel are appropriate settings for heating, cooling. I have no clue why they would want to be able to remote manage a battery backup system, but that is what they want. That is more of our lives that I don't want to give up. I can make my own decisions without the power company and ultimately the government making decisions about what I do in my own home.

I won't really know if she can handle the setup until I get it in. The battery backup for short outages is step one. Everything else is step 2, etc.

I plan to run the power station in EPS mode, connected to grid 120v 20a. The most needed circuits will be powered via the power station 24/7. That way we don't have to make any changes to the MTS if the power goes out. Then the remote start generator will be directly connected to a L15-20 inlet to a L15-20 outlet. There will be another switch to switch the power station between grid and gen. That is the only hiccup at this point. If the power is out and the generator isn't running then there is no power to switch an ATS. I'm not sure if remote starting the generator will cause an ATS to auto switch or not. It sounds good in theory.

I will be sure to keep posting about the progress as I go. Your (everyone's) thoughts and input have helped me tremendously. I look forward to this challenge!

 

[begreen]

The power company most likely would want to have the option to manage a backup battery to be as part of a distributed grid solution to unusual peak power times. This might be during a very hot summer day where AC load is spiking. Our power company offers the same. In both the home thermostat and the grid-tied battery systems that the power company has this optional control, the user can override that outside control.

FWIW, the 10kw Generac lists at $3,769. The nice thing about that is it has a mobile link so that you can track status. Add $829 for an ATS. That comes to about $4,600. Maybe $2-400 more for wire and conduit unless the generator location is distant. Is there really $5000 to $7000 of wiring labor to set this up? Seems like that might be closer to $2-3k unless the panel setup is complicated.

Here is a good guide for home backup power that may be helpful.

Home Backup Power Systems: A Practical Planning Guide

Build a safer backup-power plan around critical loads, realistic runtime, connection requirements, fuel or recharge limits, and regular testing.

homeresiliencehub.com

 

[gthomas785]

Generator power is used to switch the ATS. Typically when utility power is lost the ATS will close a contact that tells the automatic generator to start. If your gen is manual start the ATS will just chill like that until it is started. Once the ATS has power coming from the generator, it will switch over.

And yeah the reason utilities want to control your battery system is for peak shaving. Managing peak demand is normally a huge expense for utilities and they will pay good money to be able deploy your battery during high peaks.

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

The power company most likely would want to have the option to manage a backup battery to be as part of a distributed grid solution to unusual peak power times. This might be during a very hot summer day where AC load is spiking. Our power company offers the same. In both the home thermostat and the grid-tied battery systems that the power company has this optional control, the user can override that outside control.

FWIW, the 10kw Generac lists at $3,769. The nice thing about that is it has a mobile link so that you can track status. Add $829 for an ATS. That comes to about $4,600. Maybe $2-400 more for wire and conduit unless the generator location is distant. Is there really $5000 to $7000 of wiring labor to set this up? Seems like that might be closer to $2-3k unless the panel setup is complicated.

Here is a good guide for home backup power that may be helpful.

Home Backup Power Systems: A Practical Planning Guide

Build a safer backup-power plan around critical loads, realistic runtime, connection requirements, fuel or recharge limits, and regular testing.

homeresiliencehub.com

Thanks for that. The rep that came out told me to double the price of the gen and that will equal the installed price there on cape cod. Due to the location, many of the services (installers, electricians, plumbers and mostly their supplies) have to go back and forth over the cape cod bridges, inflicting what is locally known as the cape cod tax. Install also includes concrete pad, permits for gas and electrical connections, labor, delivery, and so on.

I will check out the guide.