Simple dual battery set ups.

[stremd22]

Ok so i am by no means any auto electrician wizz. have wired up my own spotties, uhf, solonoid switch for a sub tank and some aux power to my tub.. all of which is wired to my cranking battery in the 06 str. i now have a 60lt engel that im keen to start getting some use out of so dual batterys is the next must have!
I dont want to spend big bucks or have anything fancy, just something that gets the job done.. would it be ok to just wire another cranking battery parallel seperated by a soloniod switch which joins them together when you turn the key over to ACC? when camping ect i never go a day without going for a drive or atleast starting and letting idle for 10-15 so days on end with just the fridge drawing power wont be a problem.. please no flaming for what is most likely a stupid question ha just looking for some options..
cheers.

 

[KraftyPg]

You don't have to spend big bucks to do it once and do it well enough to not worry about.

$120 for a Projecta 100, 6 m of cable for about $20, a few connectors and a fuse and the job is done and should never cause you problems.

There are other brands available and some may be even cheaper but it's not the sort of job you should do "on the cheap". 12V may not seem like much but the voltage and the current is enough to cause major issues.

Do it once, do it properly and rely on it forever.

 

[qqc d22]

$90 for redarc start smart isolator of ebay. easy to wire do the job with ease redarc supply arb with them rebadged. ive run the same one for five yrs no worrys

 

[qqc d22]

Or $5 constant duty tin can solonoid but. it will still let your cranking batt go flat

 

[stremd22]

Cheers for the quick replies fellas. dont mind spending the money on a decent isolator eg the red arc.. 4w4 show here in adelaide next week so might try find a cheap deal there.. just not interested in the volt meter gauges and all the bullshit really lol..
so in short this will do the trick- cranking battery +>100amp fuse>redarc>100amp fuse> AUX battery+? then obviosly negative to negative all with say some thick welding cable?

 

[KraftyPg]

Check online as well I know there are a number of people selling the projecta kit with all you need in the pack and it's half the price stores like SCA charge. Once again other brands may do the same packages but as a user of Projecta I tend not to take much notice of others.

I don't use two fuses and my single fuse is a self resetting 50amp fuse but yeah something like that will be sufficient. Don't use welding cable, 6mmsq auto cable will probably be enough.

 

[stremd22]

ok cheers, should be easy enough to tackle on my own..

 

[KraftyPg]

It's definitely not a hard job but do yourself a favour and if there is anything you aren't 100% sure about ask an expert.

You could get on the net and research the answer but you'll get so many conflicting stories about dual batteries you will drive yourself crazy.

 

[d22dave]

X2 on the redarc, Had the same unit for for 4 years and its in its 2nd ute, Simple and cheap with no fancy bull.

 

[FatBoy89]

Projecta does the trick well.

 

[Pix]

Flea bay dude, I picked up a projecta one for heaps cheaper than I've seen in shop around here. Came with everything and was easy to do....

 

[FatBoy89]

Think I payed $65 for the isolator and $30 for wiring and parts

 

[terra88]

Sidewinder do a auto solinoid for $75 I think (on ebay)... get some wire and a decent deep cycle battery and your laughing.
Don't put a normal battery in it as the fridge will kill it within the day and draining the battery will also shorten its life. I run a AC delco (I think thats it?) and the engel can run for 24 hours and not drop below 12 volts.

 

[stremd22]

Sidewinder do a auto solinoid for $75 I think (on ebay)... get some wire and a decent deep cycle battery and your laughing.
Don't put a normal battery in it as the fridge will kill it within the day and draining the battery will also shorten its life. I run a AC delco (I think thats it?) and the engel can run for 24 hours and not drop below 12 volts.

hey dude, from what ive read if i have two different battery's wont they not charge evenly? meaning i need some other component to counter this?

 

[stremd22]

It's definitely not a hard job but do yourself a favour and if there is anything you aren't 100% sure about ask an expert.

You could get on the net and research the answer but you'll get so many conflicting stories about dual batteries you will drive yourself crazy.

yea got a few mates that consider themselfs pretty handy so they may get a call up.. not wrong with searching the net. found this site pretty handy thou http://www.fridge-and-solar.net/dual_bat.htm

 

[KraftyPg]

Only had a brief read and looked at the pics but that page seems to explain it well enough. Nothing you don't need, everything you do need and diagrams to show you how it's set up. Beats a lot of the other crap sites out there.


As for the two different batteries, you are much better with a deep cycle battery to run the fridge and both batteries don't need to be the same.

 

[stremd22]

Only had a brief read and looked at the pics but that page seems to explain it well enough. Nothing you don't need, everything you do need and diagrams to show you how it's set up. Beats a lot of the other crap sites out there.


As for the two different batteries, you are much better with a deep cycle battery to run the fridge and both batteries don't need to be the same.

ok cheers, so currently the power outlet i will be running my fridge from in the tub is wired to my cranking battery. should i re-route this to the second (now to be deep cycle) battery?
and with this red arc sysytem, will i need to even wire a manual switch to the cab since it changes over automatically?
sorry for all the questions just want to be sure to be sure.

 

[KraftyPg]

I don't use redarc so I can't comment on your exact set up but I would assume there is no need for a cabin switch.

As for running the fridge, just run everything off the second battery, use the cranking battery for starting the car and run as much other stuff as you can off the second battery, you can even run aux power back into the cabin if you want to.

 

[d22dave]

No need for a switch in the cab With the redarc.

 

[d22dave]

Scotty bobcat on here has a switch in the cab for his, so when he winches he can share the load between the 2 batterys. The little blue wire on the redarc if you hook it up allows the current to go in the opposite direction. So you could also jump start yourself lf your cranking battery went flat. but the wiring would have to be heavy enough