Dual batteries

[Sylvia]

Hi am new to this forum, but would like to pick your collective brains. We have an STX Navara 2.5 turbo diesel. We were ready to take the car to have a second battery fitted to run the Waeco for when we do our round Australia trip later this year, when the mechanic rang to say the new regulations forbid the fitting of the second battery under the bonnet. He said we could put it in the chassis or the back of the ute. This is inconvenient and we really wanted to put it under the bonnet. What have others done to run their car fridge and do any forumites have any other ideas. Thank you in advance for any comments or ideas.

 

[joshman]

do a search mate, theres a wealth of info on the subject, but in short, normal lead acid batteries should be fine under the bonnet, gel and AGM can't live under teh bonnet.

most people stick them in a box behind the rear wheel arch in the tub.

 

[ONLOCK]

Check out the d40 section mate theres a few threads on there with different peoples setup

 

[justdrinkbeer]

Dunno about regulations but I recon you'd be pushing shit up hill trying to fit one under the bonnet on a D40

 

[Old.Tony]

+1 for the lack of space. I reckon the mechanic is right - in order to get enough space, he'd probably have to remove the ABS system and half the emission control stuff... and that ain't legal.

I have mine over the wheel arch on the right-hand side. Don't use that space for much else, so it's perfect.

 

[docdmp]

Zero maintenance gel battery in steel box fitted onto chassis

 

[Old.Tony]

Just watch how those gels are charged. 14.1V max, and the alternator may be putting out more than that (possibly up to 14.7V off the regulator). The gel will form pockets at those voltages eventually breaking the connection between plates.

The problem is the silicate used to make the gel doesn't allow for reformation of the gel - the bubble forms and it's permanent. That's one of the main reasons why AGM is superior, bubbles don't harm the conductive mat between plates.

 

[hunter]

Hi am new to this forum, but would like to pick your collective brains. We have an STX Navara 2.5 turbo diesel. We were ready to take the car to have a second battery fitted to run the Waeco for when we do our round Australia trip later this year, when the mechanic rang to say the new regulations forbid the fitting of the second battery under the bonnet. He said we could put it in the chassis or the back of the ute. This is inconvenient and we really wanted to put it under the bonnet. What have others done to run their car fridge and do any forumites have any other ideas. Thank you in advance for any comments or ideas.

I have a 100am agm battery in a battery box fitted in the tub I was going to fit up on top of the wheel arch but battery box is to big (hard cover fitted) it uses a red arc and and is coupled together via a anderson plug, I have also fitted a anderson plug to the top of the battery box for another auxillatry or for charging also have the 35lt arb fridge on a slide bolted beside it, take a fair bit of room but it works for me.
Cheers Lyle

 

[Krankin]

standard leadacid batt in the eng bay is ok, but as the others have explained vacancy in there is not to be found...
the other deep cycle jobs dont like the heat in there and should not be placed in there anyways,
again like the others put him in the tub or chassis