dual battery colt

[Deeps]

hey guys this is my pics of my dual battery set up
i have installed a isolator to isolate secondary battery when in use
i just need to get a smaller dc isolator as the current one is a bit to big

[Blackie]

Deeps, mine is in exactly the same spot. I have used the National Luna Intelligent solenoid - a bit expensive but worth the money - had it in for 3 years now with no issues.

Just one tip: Fit some insulation material on the side of the battery next to the intercooler. That battery is going to get extremely hot from the air that the intercooler fan extracts at the bottom.

I used an old foil type windscreen sunblind and just cut a piece out there and fitted it to the battery with double sided tape.

Blackie.

[Deeps]

hey just hope the a/c or the brake pipes dont have a problem as i will need to take the battery out everytime
can i use geyser blanket as i have some of that
battery is 70amp 657c R600
terminals R40 a pair
cable loop lugs isolator had at home

Blackie how much did u pay for the solenoid?
next step is to buy a inverter and i have no clue what size or were i can buy one

[Blackie]

Deeps I think geyser insulation is for keeping heat inside so it will not work. Solenoid is about R650 at OWH. Buy 400W inverter @ autozone for R325 - I have one and it works fine.

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[Flip Marais]

Hmm, Deeps if you don't mind I think I will be copying this idea very closely, might just fit in my 2.4's engine bay.

As for the geyser insulation, it should do the trick, nothing is meant to keep stuff only hot or only cold, it simply keeps the heat (or cold) from going through to the other side.

I'm sure you will get some info from other members about what material to use, which is thinner and better at insulating. My guess would be asbestos, but then I am no expert in these things!

What isolator did you use?

[David Maritz]

Deeps,

One suggestion is to get a Cole Hersee Part no 24059 continious 80 amp 12 v body mount solenoid. That will save you a few rand as the solenoid does the same job than the national luna you will just have to wire the soleniod yourself.

Earth it and add the B+ wire from the altenator to it.

Additional extra add a switch from the + of the second battery to the terminal where the B+ wire connects to the when you flick the switch your vehicle will start incase you have a flat main battery...

Look at this thread as well...

http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...ht=cole+hersee

Thanks to Andre I got all my things sorted in a Jiffy!

[Blackie]

David, not to critisize the CH solenoid bit it does not have the intelligence built in like the NL - 5 min time delay, not being activated when your crank battery is below a certain voltage, etc.

As for the insulation, I think geyser insulation let heat penetrate through from the outside and then keep it inside - not what you want for a battery!

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[Deeps]

ok so i also have 50mm thick fiberglass insulation which has a black lining or thermoboard which is used for duct work in air conditioning or geyser blanket.
as for the solenoid it will have to wait as i cant spend R650 on something which i dont need right now. i need to get the inverter but i need to work out power consumption etc cause its a 220v bar bridge which i got from red bull
i have also upgraded the sound system, interior lighting, loadbin lighting and will add pics soon.
all the above work was from monday till last night (thursday)from 6pm till 10pm every night

[Deeps]

Hi you are right today went for a 20km drive and wer my isolator is it is warm/hot and today in Durban @ 6:30pm its not hot. This means on a hot day it will defently be very hot so I need to do the insulation asap.

[Tenala]

Just M2CW and I know cost is always a factor (but my rule is buy the best you can afford) especially when going offroad but here are a few bits of info from Martin at www.planmypower.co.za
“MY BATTERIES ARE ALWAYS RUNNING DOWN”!!
The above complaint is a common refrain from person going camping, or On Safari, for more than a couple of days.
Most campers and 4x4 users employ appliances that make life more comfortable whilst ‘in the bush’. These can include:
· Fridges
· Freezers
· Lights
· Microwaves
· TV & DSTV
· Hi Fi systems
· Pressure pumps for showers
· 2 plate stoves
· Rotating Braais
Often auxiliary batteries may number from 1-4, weight, space and recharging of these batteries is always a major consideration.
Another major consideration is to make your appliances as energy-efficient as possible, as this will prevent discharging your batteries too quickly. Energy-efficient appliances can use up to a quarter of the power of standard appliances.

EXAMPLE 1
Let us take an example of someone who likes to take weekly trips of 3-4 days duration into the Bush and where there is no grid power available. They might take a fridge (draws about 4.5 amps with a 12v model), a couple of lights (2 x 12w E/S type), and a small TV with DSTV facility. The total Amp. Hour required for this ‘extra power’ would be around 100 Amp. Hour peraverage day.
So, if you only have 2 auxiliary batteries of 102 Amp.Hours each; then you would only have enough power for a day and a half without ‘damaging’ the batteries (remember that leisure batteries should not be discharged to beyond 75% of their rated capacity in this application).
Most people install some sort of a system into their vehicles for ‘splitting’ the charge from the car alternator to help charge the auxiliary batteries. These vary from the basic (manual switching) to the exotic (microprocessor-controlled units). Their efficiencies vary greatly, but, just remember, however efficiently they distribute whatever power your alternator can put out, they cannot increase the available power!


If we look at this example of consuming 100 amp.Hour per day at 12 V DC, then it stands to reason that we will need to replenish this and this can be done in 5 different ways:
1. Alternator stator upgrade
2. Alternator upgrade
3. 1 (or more) solar panels
4. A 220v charger working from a small genset
5. A 220v charger working from Eskom Mains.
6. A small wind generator

SPARE ALTERNATOR POWER: The average alternator output is between 55-90 amperes - depending on the model of 4x4. This power was designed for operating the car’s electrics and not to charge auxiliary batteries! Hence, there isn’t that much power to spare for diverting to our 2 auxiliary batteries. The other factor here is that you may not be travelling every day, and thus you would have to run your car for a considerable period just to get adequate charge into these batteries.
Your vehicle’s alternator is optimised for recharging or maintaining a high cranking battery (The battery that is used to start and operate your vehicle) – so the charging voltage might not be ideal for recharging of a deep cycle battery
Let us assume, for the purposes of this exercise, that you have a 75 amp alternator which has 25 amps of spare capacity when it isn’t raining, without aircon on, etc. If we divide this power between the 2 auxiliary batteries, we end up with 12.5 amps of available charging. Each battery is being discharged by 50 Amp.Hour per day, so it would take 4 hours of charging to bring the batteries back to their original levels!!! Our options to improve on this scenario are quite promising, however.
Firstly, we can increase alternator output by increasing the output of your alternator with a Maxamp stator rewind. This can increase your output from 15-30% depending upon the make and type of alternator. You also have the option of installing a more powerful alternator which can increase your output by more than 50%. If you have room for a second alternator (rare, but possible for those vehicles with no A.C) then the possibilities are even greater (bear in mind fuel consumption will also go up!).
Secondly, the MXS booster unit, which increases the alternator output power in 2 ways:
· Increase the charging voltage ON the battery itself. It would monitor the battery voltage of that specific battery, as well as ensuring that a proper charge reaches that battery
· Increase the alternator output charging voltage, which is critically required for the ability of your battery to ABSORB the charge. Increased alternator current means nothing - if the battery is not able to absorb the charge- It’s like trying to Dump 400 Litres of petrol in a 100Liter tank....it just cannot accept it.
· The MXS, increases LOW RPM charging (this is RPM while driving around slowly) by up to 40% . Does this mean your 60A alternator now ‘magically’ charges at 90A? No, it doesn’t, because at low RMP, it was probably charging 20A and this is now increased to 30-35A which makes quite a difference in total power absorbed during periods of driving slowly.
· These 2 additions should be essential for any one pulling more than 75 amps per day from their auxiliary batteries.
THIRDLY:
SOLAR PANEL:
A solar panel has some advantages:
· Clean power
· Charges even when you are stationary
· Quite a cheap method - if there is no grid power available
· No noise factor
· No extra fuel consumption
But it also has some disadvantages:
· Can be Bulky
· Needs to point at the SUN at the correct angle
· Susceptible to dust and dirt - affecting efficiency
· Doesn’t work on rainy or cloudy days
· Only generates around 4.5 amps from an 80W panel
· Only charges between 4.5 to 5.5 hours a day, depending upon your location in S.A.
So, if you are Drawing only around 25-30 Amp.Hours per day, a solar panel is an option, especially if you have some ‘travel time’ with your vehicle everyday to help ‘top up’ any shortfall by using the vehicle’s alternator.

FOURTHLY:
SMALL GENSET:
This is an option employed by some people, but again, with its Pro & Cons:
ADVANTAGES:
· Power available at any time
· Can power up motors and pumps more efficiently
· No need to Invert power
· Reduces need for batteries
· Can also be used for charging up batteries
DISADVANTAGES:
· Extra weight to cart around
· Takes up a fair amount of space
· Needs 2 guys to off and on - load
· Noisy (banned in certain areas)
· Exhaust fumes
· Can frequently give trouble
· Requires extra fuel
· Expensive to operate
As a rule, most ‘Bush’ people do not like to transport Gensets around with them.

FINALLY:

GRID POWER:
This is always the cheapest and easiest solution - if you have access to it. Charging up your batteries at night whilst connected to the grid is obviously ideal, but many people are nowhere near a grid point, when truly ‘in the bush’.
WIND GENERATOR:
Sounds quaint, but not very practical when bashing through the bush - as they are often mounted on roofs for optimising access to wind. More commonly used on boats, where they are far more practical. Like solar, they are quiet, but unlike solar, they can work 24 hours a day and through all types of weather!

EXAMPLE 2:
You need to operate a small shower pump and a microwave – but only for a few minutes per day. You tend to go on long trips (trans-countries) and need to have repair facilities. You run 2 auxiliary batteries for a fridge, TV and lights. You tow a trailer around with you.
In this example the Unipower Multi-Function unit is ideal. It can give some 3.5 KW of A.C. power for operating your larger appliances; enable you to weld up to 225 amps of DC output; boost charge your own auxiliary batteries (12 or 24V) should you require it, as well as being a 150 amp. Heavy-Duty alternator for your vehicle.
By operating the Pump and Microwave from your Unipower – it saves sucking larger doses of power from your auxiliary batteries and they thus require less charging, as a result. The powerful Unipower alternator will help keep the auxiliary batteries topped up along with an intelligent Electronic Battery Management System - which would also be advisable for this application.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS FOR 4X4 POWER INSTALLATIONS:
1. Ensure that you wiring thickness is up to the task requested of it.
2. Ensure that your connections are of good quality – check regularly
3. Avoid using domestic appliances not designed for portable travel
4. Use energy-efficient appliances wherever possible (good choices now)
5. Top up your fridges and batteries prior to departure
6. Bring your Mains charger with you – just in case
7. Watch out for new developments that become available (PMP have several for 2010!)
8. Keep a check on your batteries to gauge the performance of your system




NOTES ON LEISURE BATTERIES FOR THE 4X4 INDUSTRY
The average Leisure, deep cycle battery, is rated at around 100-105 Amp. Hours.
As is well known by now, these type of batteries , although built for regular discharging, should not be discharged beyond 60% when utilised on an application that involves daily discharging and recharging (such as for a Solar System or a Wind turbine application).
However, for the average 4x4 application, or for stand-by power, the less frequent use of these batteries enables them to be discharged to a deeper rate without significantly affecting their overall life span. Thus, for the average 4x4 installation we could expect to cycle them down to 75-80% without incurring too drastic a shortening of their life span.
A 102 Amp. Hour battery could thus give us some 80 amps of usuable power -on an infrequent basis. This equates to around 1000 Watt Hours of available power. This would be sufficient to power an average 12V Fridge of 5 amp.hour consumption for around 16 hours (1-2 days of operation depending upon ambient temperature, content, as well as the number and time of door openings).
The average battery can not be charged much beyong 20% of its rated capacity. Therefore, you could only expect to get some 25 amps per hour into a 100 amp. hour battery. In wattage terms this equates to some 325 watts, per hour of charge. It is evident that, if your alternator is supplying you this amount of charge (25 amps), then it would take some 3 hours of driving at fairly high speeds to recharge the 1000w of discharged power.
The only way to increase the recharging rate is by employing a Booster Regulator, such as the MXS from Plan My Power. The MXS will increase the charge rate by between 20-35% - depending upon the system employed. This is particluarly effective when travelling on Game Drives where the average speeds tend to be in the lower range.
Also remember that when you are driving at night, in the rain, wipers on, and your spotlights on; there is not much surplus power available to charge up your auxiliary batteries! Obviously, upgrading your alternator to around 120-150 amps will give you a much better ‘surplus’ quota that would then be available for charging up your auxiliary batteries – even at lower speeds.

[David Maritz]

David, not to critisize the CH solenoid bit it does not have the intelligence built in like the NL - 5 min time delay, not being activated when your crank battery is below a certain voltage, etc.

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Blackie mine is on this relay TOTALLY for now three years and no issues yet, as there was issues with these NL systems that did starting to give issues other poeple's systems.

I love plain and simple things escpecially when out in the sticks.....

Too fancy stuff I cannot fix and will not carry all that tools to get it sorted as well.

So mine is now in such a way that if something goes wrong I can sort it quickly!

[Blackie]

David, point taken but does your system have a manual switch? If so, that is just my point - forget to flick the switch and the next morning you are sitting out "in the sticks" with a dead crank battery and no 240V to use a charger. As I said, my system has been running now for an extensive period with no issues - if your connections are good, correct thickness of wiring etc, the NL system works!

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[David Maritz]

Luckily not my CH solenoid is activated by the B+ wire from the altenator.....