Dual battery setup
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Leprechaun
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Good one wires.
Do you prefer to use circuit breakers over fuses?
Do you prefer to use circuit breakers over fuses?
merchant
Member
I use circuit breakers over fuses in all my DIY installs. As recommended by a electrical engineer friend. Never had any dramas, which is more than i can say for friends on trips making replacement fuses out of used beer cans to keep the aux battery charged and fridge cold.
Leprechaun
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Another question.
Would it be smarter to use a ground wire as a on/off switch rather than using an active wire?
Would it be smarter to use a ground wire as a on/off switch rather than using an active wire?
vornar
Member
Hey Guys.
I have a 2010 D22 and was wondering if anyone has fully sussed out the way these "twin" batteries are wired.
I would like to separate them and make it a true dual batt setup with the pass side battery running my lights/winch etc. There seems to be a hell of a lot of crap connected to both batteries and i have only had the car a week so i haven't had a chance to really get in and have a good look.
If anyone has recently modified the battery setup can they please post up how they went about it and pics/diagrams would be awesome.
Cheers.
Vaughan.
I have a 2010 D22 and was wondering if anyone has fully sussed out the way these "twin" batteries are wired.
I would like to separate them and make it a true dual batt setup with the pass side battery running my lights/winch etc. There seems to be a hell of a lot of crap connected to both batteries and i have only had the car a week so i haven't had a chance to really get in and have a good look.
If anyone has recently modified the battery setup can they please post up how they went about it and pics/diagrams would be awesome.
Cheers.
Vaughan.
As mentioned above/and on previous page vornar, I have the same vehicle as you. I have driven for a week with the passenger side battery completely disconnected by accident - it doesn't need to be there - but it's a nice bonus I guess. Read my posts above and on the previous page - should give you some useful info.
08king - I much prefer to use circuit breakers over fuses, simply because if it trips, you just reset it. And also too because I am an electrician/electrical engineer it is what I have always used in the 240/415v electrical installations. They cost more to buy, but well worth it in my opinion. Plus I have been given a couple of nasty shocks from broken fuse holders, and I just hate fuses...lol
In terms of switching the neutral/ground wire, I don't think there is really any advantage or disadvantage in doing that. In standard mains voltage electrical it is a big no-no (for safety reasons). Personally, I would always prefer to switch the active wire, just to keep things consistent. There are several instances where you would switch the ground wire, but I wouldn't do it unless specifically required.
08king - I much prefer to use circuit breakers over fuses, simply because if it trips, you just reset it. And also too because I am an electrician/electrical engineer it is what I have always used in the 240/415v electrical installations. They cost more to buy, but well worth it in my opinion. Plus I have been given a couple of nasty shocks from broken fuse holders, and I just hate fuses...lol
In terms of switching the neutral/ground wire, I don't think there is really any advantage or disadvantage in doing that. In standard mains voltage electrical it is a big no-no (for safety reasons). Personally, I would always prefer to switch the active wire, just to keep things consistent. There are several instances where you would switch the ground wire, but I wouldn't do it unless specifically required.
I always ALWAYS switch the positive ONLY.
If you switch the negative, on a negative-ground vehicle, you're feeding positive into the device. The device may come into contact with the chassis or some framework and complete the circuit anyway, or short-circuit altogether.
Be consistent, only switch the positive lead, and you'll only ever have devices with connected negative leads and hence no power - or damage - could ensue.
If you switch the negative, on a negative-ground vehicle, you're feeding positive into the device. The device may come into contact with the chassis or some framework and complete the circuit anyway, or short-circuit altogether.
Be consistent, only switch the positive lead, and you'll only ever have devices with connected negative leads and hence no power - or damage - could ensue.
Leprechaun
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Seems to me running +wires all over the place is a bigger risk than switching a - wire. But I guess the fuse/circuit breaker should take care of that.
yep, any time you run an active wire, ALWAYS fuse it. And the fuse/CB must be appropriately sized for the safe capacity of the cable (and no higher), and obviously the cable needs to be sized for the current rating of the device and voltage drop. Always use grommets or some other sort of protection when passing near or through sharp metal. Then you're safe - no worries.
K
KraftyPg
Guest
Another option instead of a normal fuse or a breaker is a self resetting fuse. I've been using one between my battery and the isolator for about 12 years now (different cars), it's never needed replacing and it's never required any maintenance, in fact it's a sealed unit with two screw terminals on it so there is nothing you can do to it anyway.
May not be everyone's choice but it works for me. I have no idea of the cost but for the number of years and the number of cars it's been through it's no doubt paid for itself.
May not be everyone's choice but it works for me. I have no idea of the cost but for the number of years and the number of cars it's been through it's no doubt paid for itself.
Never used a self-resetting breaker, they have their good and bad points like anything else I guess. I think my 50 amp circuit breaker cost about $30.... I had another one on one of my previous cars for the stereo (in my lout days) which i think was a 160A. The reason I changed from fuses to CB's was with the music turned right up on certain songs with very low frequency bass, it would blow the fuse which was quite expensive for those big fuses, and then would even trip the 160A circuit breaker. It also became a lesson in how to kill a starter motor, and alternator and a battery (over time)
K
KraftyPg
Guest
I dunno what mine cost but it was a long time ago so any price probably wouldn't mean much now but we brought a few of them and none of them have failed and they've all been installed at different times in different vehicles. Guess it comes down to tried and tested, while they keep working for us we'll keep using them, if they fail we find something new.
I'd unbolt one of the cables connecting to it. I've seen no other way of doing it.
K
KraftyPg
Guest
I believe you can buy them these days that allow you to switch them but the ones I've got it's just a matter of using an 10mm spanner and removing one of the terminals.
maddogrc
Member
i know its not a navara, but yeah...
battery tray off ebay 2nd hand $50 (retail $189)
new 710cca starter battery $171 (retail $229)
redarc isolator off ebay $90
all wiring and fuses and dash LED indicator $100
i didnt have too must room to put my fuses in a good spot, but for me it works with no hassles and issues. also i couldnt find a decent spot for the redarc, so it went where it is currently.
today i finally put in my fridge wiring and wired up my roof lights and 1000w inverter, but that wiring isnt in the pics
but yeah, i just need something to power my engel over night and run a few roof lights for a couple of hours when cooking dinner. it should do the job for me well enough
battery tray off ebay 2nd hand $50 (retail $189)
new 710cca starter battery $171 (retail $229)
redarc isolator off ebay $90
all wiring and fuses and dash LED indicator $100
i didnt have too must room to put my fuses in a good spot, but for me it works with no hassles and issues. also i couldnt find a decent spot for the redarc, so it went where it is currently.
today i finally put in my fridge wiring and wired up my roof lights and 1000w inverter, but that wiring isnt in the pics
but yeah, i just need something to power my engel over night and run a few roof lights for a couple of hours when cooking dinner. it should do the job for me well enough
AN97RY
Member
hey guys ,looking at a dual battery setup myself what sort of battery would be good???
Depends on your needs and how you want to charge it etc.
Don't try charging a Gel directly from the alternator. You can wreck deep cycle batteries by using them as starter batteries.
Tell us what you want to do, and we'll try giving you some ideas!
Don't try charging a Gel directly from the alternator. You can wreck deep cycle batteries by using them as starter batteries.
Tell us what you want to do, and we'll try giving you some ideas!
belly760
Member
I have set up a few dual batteries on previous utes with not much luck.
I get out a couple of times a year camping for about a 7-10days at a time when i need the secong battery setup. I have been looking at the Thumpa on ebay.
Mostly just need it to run the fridge and a couple of camp lights for a few hours while cooking dinner.
12v Dual Battery Deep Cycle Isolator Kit 12 Volt 4WD (eBay item 250785223320 end time 07-Apr-11 15:37:27 AEST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats
I can trickle charge it when not on vehical. Has the inverter and vehical charging system. Is This expensive for what it is. Could it serve my requirements and what are the ups and downs of these battery systems.
I get out a couple of times a year camping for about a 7-10days at a time when i need the secong battery setup. I have been looking at the Thumpa on ebay.
Mostly just need it to run the fridge and a couple of camp lights for a few hours while cooking dinner.
12v Dual Battery Deep Cycle Isolator Kit 12 Volt 4WD (eBay item 250785223320 end time 07-Apr-11 15:37:27 AEST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats
I can trickle charge it when not on vehical. Has the inverter and vehical charging system. Is This expensive for what it is. Could it serve my requirements and what are the ups and downs of these battery systems.
K
KraftyPg
Guest
Those kits probably do exactly what they say and work every time, however a dual battery system shouldn't cost you that much. For a few lights and a fridge you should be able to get out of a dual battery system for well under $500 even with a Pro install.
