Multi Battery Systems

[baby_troupe]

I know this has been coverred in the mag in other ways, but I am about to try something different for a multi battery system in my vehicl.
The vehicle came standard with 2 batteries wired in parallel for starting (I think it is overkill, but it doesn't take long to kill them both on cold mornings)
I have wired a 20 amp circuit to the back seat area where I currently have a small cooler & a 300 watt inverter for laptop etc
What I was going to do was to buy a power pack (one of those jump start doobies) & have it for my accessories battery.
This could charge when on road, supply power to cooler & laptop while on road (act like a surge protector for starting purposes) & when I get to camp, I take it out & use it as a power source for camp lighting. Maybe even run inverter & a desk lamp for the camp site.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Tlux]

Well if you flatten two parallel batteries even on cold mornings and they are not motor cycle batteries, and you're not starting a grader, then I'd say you have a problem. I have a 2nd battery mounted in the tray of my lux and controlled by a Rotronics isolator, and it works fine. I left the headlights on and completely flattened the starting battery, so I just took the 2nd one out and it started first kick. It runs the Engel for about 3 to 4 days depending on conditions. At my last trip to the Flinders ranges, one of the party had one of those battery pack thingies and he used pretty much as you plan to, he was quite happy with it.

those battery packs take a looooooooong time to charge.....

[baby_troupe]

Tlux,
I won't be using it to jump start. If i was I would be looking at a larger unit & I just checked the price on that & I reckon I could set aup a deep cycle system with cut out switch for not a whole lot more than the cost of the larger jump starter pack.

Darren,
Any ideas on how long to charge. I was planning on getting the unit tomorrow.

I do know that when in the car it will be run for at least 4 hours per day, so will that be sufficient on a 20 circuit to charge?

mine takes about 12-14 hrs to charge fully.

[baby_troupe]

I just bought a light duty (17 AH) unit yesterday & was already fuul charged (put on charge last night & only took a few minutes for charge light to go off).
I will test it this weekend @ Newnes this weekend & see how we go.
I kept the receipt, so if it does not perform, I will take it back & look at deep cycle as I will be installing fridge later this year anyway.

[Sparky]

GSL or Redarc battery isolator are as good as any and heaps cheaper than some
GSL and Redarc are reliable which is more than can be said about others

[Sparky]

GSL or Redarc battery isolator are as good as any and heaps cheaper than some
GSL and Redarc are reliable which is more than can be said about others

William Adams in Vic, or your local CAT dealer has 500amp manual isolators for about $120.

Work well, weatherproof and removable key too.

[Sparky]

$120 for a manual battery isolator - MAJOR RIPOFF

You can buy an Efel with good key for around $90 and is one of the best heavy duty manual isolators available.

For a 4WD vehicle you can use a Hella type which is about $25 with key

For $120 you can get the Redarc isolator which is fully automatic and one of the best available

[baby_troupe]

Tested as a power pack for 300 watt invertor while running car & on charge, ran flat after 3 hours.
Disconnected invertor & plugged into separate circuit & charged power pack for 4 hours.
That night we ran 2 flour lights from it for 4 hours & no problems.
I think I will test it for one more outing as primary lighting power source, but I think I will take it back & go for the deep cycle & isolator.

Oh well, I tried something new, it didn't quite go to plan, but I learnt something (I think)

$120 for a manual battery isolator - MAJOR RIPOFF

You can buy an Efel with good key for around $90 and is one of the best heavy duty manual isolators available.

For a 4WD vehicle you can use a Hella type which is about $25 with key

For $120 you can get the Redarc isolator which is fully automatic and one of the best available


Are either of those 500a?
if not and you have a winch you will need 500a joiner for batteries and the cat one is the only 500a one I know of for that price.......

[Sparky]

little baby oh sorry shed guy do you bloody well think I dont bloody know what a winch takes and what is needed
because it is the only one you know of at that prices means bugger all you are just another 4wd sucker come on in spinner

I said.....
Are any of those you recommended 500a?????

[sparkys rant-]
little baby oh sorry shed guy do you bloody well think I dont bloody know what a winch takes and what is needed
because it is the only one you know of at that prices means bugger all you are just another 4wd sucker come on in spinner [end quote].....

So was that a yes or a no sparky???

Im aware of the equipment you have mentioned, so if you do know, how about more answers and less deflections on the subject?

BTW, I dont have a cat isolator, so maybe do some homework on your information before posting in future, save us all some trouble......

[my45]

:'( :'( :'( Someone's going to get a black eye in a minute :-[

Not at all,
I offered a store, and amp ratings etc, which are easily obtainable by the supplier, sparky has offered us no tech data, or supplier.....

Tech detail with no data is opinion or heresay Im just helping him help us understand he knows what he is trying to help out with.

[Tlux]

Maybe we need an anger management thread ???

[baby_troupe]

Now this is a good time to have a drink.
Make mine a Port.

Make mine a Wild Turkey, or a Dimple, if you can :-*

[Tlux]

Dimple, now you're talkin. 8)

neat..... on 2 ice blocks in a short glass........mmmmmmmmmmmm :-*

[baby_troupe]

I'll have to try me some of that.

Be warned... one wont be enough...... ;D 8)

[baby_troupe]

I'll start with buying the bottle.
If I like it I buy more bottles ;D ;D ;D

[Tlux]

Lose the ice :P

[Cozza]

Back to batteries....

I have a camper trailer with a battery on it. From time to time it goes flat and I have to charge it.

Is there an easy way that I can connect this battery to my alternator so that it charges while I am driving. I dont think I would need any fancy isolators as whenever I am using the camper trailer it is disconnected from the car.

Any help?

[baby_troupe]

In your trailer plug, there is an extra connection, marked accessories.
You could have this connected as an active wire with a switch to ensure it is only live when you want it to be, or a relay to ensure it is active when the motor is running.
This could then be connected to the postitive side of the battery. The negative can (I would anyway) be connected to the body of the trailer, as it is usually earth anyway.

i have seen some dogy stuffin my time but some have worked !!
i have seen people wiring a direct charge line from the alt through the trailer plug but one i saw was a guy had hooked it up before he left as a last minute thought it was wired into the lights system when he drove he had the lights on so it charged i dont know how good it would work but it seemed to work !

[Col]

To charge the battery in a Campomatic I hired (too stingy to buy one, and nowhere to store it), I had an Anderson plug installed on the towbar, direct to the aux battery. It worked a treat. Battery was always fully charged after a day towing.

In powered sites on the way to and from South Oz the inbuilt charger unit didn't have any work to do.

Col

Gee this forum looks familiar where am I?

[baby_troupe]

Gee this forum looks familiar where am I?

Welcome to 4wd Monthly Forum Col. ;D

[BigBugga]

I often wonder where I am.

Then I normally get told where to go..... >:(


Greeting's ;D

[Cozza]

To charge the battery in a Campomatic I hired (too stingy to buy one, and nowhere to store it), I had an Anderson plug installed on the towbar, direct to the aux battery. It worked a treat. Battery was always fully charged after a day towing.

In powered sites on the way to and from South Oz the inbuilt charger unit didn't have any work to do.

Col

Gee this forum looks familiar where am I?


What is an "Anderson" plug?

[baby_troupe]

What is an "Anderson" plug?

From the website Farm Generators - Making the connection the safe way (http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/99-007.htm)
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/99-007f1.jpg
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/99-007f2.jpg

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/99-007f3.gif
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/engineer/facts/99-007f4.gif

[RobertM]

Make sure they have a fuse (big one) and when routing to the back of the veihcle dont go over any sharp edges as my father in law almost burnt his troupe when it shorted but lucky for him the battery was almost stuffed and it shat itself but still almost started a fire.

[dunedigger]

Does a voltage regulator need to be used on multi battery systems ?

I thought if you have two batterys, one say new, and one older, then one could be UNDER or OVER charged ?

Dunedigger

[baby_troupe]

I don't think you do.
Current alternators have a regulator already to help prevent overcharging.