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About to do some heavy modding (carputer, monitors, etc)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by bclemms, Dec 20, 2012.

  1. bclemms

    bclemms Junior Member

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    I'm new to the forum and just purchased my 2012 Prius II yesterday new. I got it pretty much stock because I'm going to use the car to eat up miles on the days I don't need to use my truck for work, trips with the wife and kids and stormchasing.

    The plan right now is to add an optima battery in a modded compartment directly above the cranking battery. In the dash I'm taking the factory radio out and remounting, not exactly sure where I'm going to remount yet, depends on what we see when pulling the dash. Where the radio is installed from the factory I'm installing a 10-12" touchscreen monitor. Both headrests are going to reworked slightly and a 8" monitor is going in those. I'm also flush mounting an all in one GPS unit in the dash, installing a 2500w power inverter and a 3 watt wireless cell booster amp . Then for the main course, I'm installing a carputer. This thing will need several power supplies to get the proper voltage and power needed because it will have a TV tuner, PS3, backup cam, dash cam, 3TB hd, 1Tb ram, will be running windows 8 and some heavy duty radar and mapping programs. Also the 3 monitors will all be capable of watching live tv, dvd, blue ray, streaming netflix (in 4g or wifi range), playing PS3, viewing as a computer monitor, etc. The front monitor will be the only one capable of controlling the actual computer but the rear monitors will have the ability to view the computer or any of the PS3 functions.

    A good friend of mine owns a car audio store and has been wanting to help me do an all out install that I can use for stormchasing which many times involves 5k+ miles of driving in a week when it is an active season and also have it functional enough for a daily driver and to entertain kids on a long trip.

    We've got most of the major details hammered out but a lot of the smaller stuff we'll just have to think on our toes as we go. Before getting started, neither of us are too sure about the electrical and charging system on the prius. I've read that in ready mode that I'll be good to go with both amps and volts. The biggest problem he has with his prior carputer installs is not being able to get high enough constant voltage which leads to constant small problems. Luckily technology has come a long way since in the last two years particularly when it comes to power consumption vs performance.

    Here are my big questions:
    What happens if I use these electronics without being in "ready mode" for short period?
    Should overloading the generators be a concern? I'm not running any high power amps but just a large volume of equipment.
    Will using this equipment in any way decrease the vehicle's performance whether it be gas mileage, battery life or actual driving performance?

    I really appreciate any help and if you guys know of any threads that hit on some of these issues or an install somewhat similar it would be a huge help.

    Thanks!
     
    #1 bclemms, Dec 20, 2012
  2. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    You're about to, huh? Something tells me it's gonna be a while before you're about to... ;)

    It doesn't really seem like you've done your homework on this buildout. Has your "friend that owns a car audio shop" given you any help? I'd start with him before coming back here... it seems you've got a lot to figure out.

    The first thing any reputable shop would do given a laundry list like yours is develop a power budget. That 2500W inverter is going to draw more juice than the Prius can deliver, by a long shot... one extra battery ain't going to cut it. Are you sure you didn't mean 250W?

    Crunch some numbers and get back to us when you've determined how much power you need: at standby, in operation and at peak. Then we can see how to mod a Prius to get you there...
     
    #2 maestro8, Jan 3, 2013
  3. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    Plug-in Advanced
    #3 black_jmyntrn, Sep 20, 2022
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Patron saint of newly poured sidewalks

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    How many miles on it?
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Sep 20, 2022
  5. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Are you guys serious?

    This member was dreaming when he posted this OP BS.
    Also hasn't been on the site in over 7 years, so don't hold your breathe waiting for a reply.

    Post was made Dec 2012 and member was last seen 3/31/2015..........................
     
    #5 TMR-JWAP, Sep 20, 2022
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Patron saint of newly poured sidewalks

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    I was intending to post the above in another thread. :ROFLMAO:
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Sep 20, 2022
    douglasjre likes this.
  7. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    you know, a lot of great things start with a dream, don't knock it and... I have a modified version of his dream only I have a projector multiple laptops and slim lcd monitors with a custom car automation system using multiple raspberry pi devices, four mobile internet devices all load balanced through two routers and boosted with a weboost cellular signal booster. I have built the Ultimate Overlanding Prius and was curious if the OP [aside from the length of time since post] had built out his dream. why so much sassiness?

    So someone cant be generally interested in and connected to an old post that they felt the need to reply to? If there is a Priuschat best practice guide I missed, please link me to it. Not that I'd follow it to the T, I mean I do with and take my Prius places most Prius owners wouldn't even imagine taking their car to... but that's just me and my uniqueness...

    20220414_194628-01.jpeg
     
    #7 black_jmyntrn, Sep 22, 2022
  8. Plaman

    Plaman Member

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    black_j probably was searching for posts with "power inverter" so he could shill more of his products.
     
    #8 Plaman, Sep 24, 2022
    strawbrad and alftoy like this.
  9. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    But did he ever return?
    No he never returned
    And his fate is still unlearned (he may ride forever)
    He may ride forever
    'Neath the streets of Boston
    He's the man, who never returned
     
    #9 Another, Sep 24, 2022
  10. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    dont have any inverter products but now you have me thinking...
     
    #10 black_jmyntrn, Sep 26, 2022
    JahT likes this.
  11. Plaman

    Plaman Member

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    We should chat some time about what exists in that segment, I'm doing a big battery bank build out in my 2nd gen and I'm curious what your experience has been like. There is some market in those products-no doubt.
     
    #11 Plaman, Oct 4, 2022
  12. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    like ummm... working with Renogy to make a custom-sized 2000w inverter for the gen 4... happy to talk, Im sure you can find a way to reach me.
     
    #12 black_jmyntrn, Oct 9, 2022
  13. Plaman

    Plaman Member

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    Okkkk I see you. Nice, looking forward to hearing about it.

    Any idea on your Gen 2 Roof Rack lead times right now? I need to get one installed before it gets too cold. Do the brackets drill into the gutter on the roof where the rubber trim is or inside of those on the actual flat roof?
     
    #13 Plaman, Oct 11, 2022
  14. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    21 days are less if one isn't in stock.
    the bolts go into the gutter where the rubber trim is so if you remove and reinstall the rubber, visibly you couldn't see a roof rack was installed.
     
    #14 black_jmyntrn, Oct 16, 2022
  15. Plaman

    Plaman Member

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    Any idea how much room you have between the top of the roof and the roof rack?
     
    #15 Plaman, Oct 20, 2022
  16. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    how much room do you need? Ill have to check one of the 3d scans to confirm.
     
    #16 black_jmyntrn, Oct 28, 2022
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