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A*B Dual battery Installation

Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 16:34

Member - TonyG (Qld)

Hi All,

I am asking these questions, as batteries are not my area of expertise

A friend has recently purchased a new petrol Pajero.

He got A*B to install a dual battery system, with a smart solenoid, and with all new 12v outlets wired to the aux battery.

The aux battery they supplied was a 80amp/hr excite.

He was having trouble with his waeco fridge, as it would show the error light after about 8hrs.

The same fridge worked fine for 3 days in my Patrol also running a dual battery setup

Taking the car back to A*B, they informed us that they had installed the new battery, and made this the cranking battery, and made the original car battery the aux battery.

When we asked why they did this they said it was standard for them to do this setup. (WTF)

After we explained that we thought it was stupid, and they need to be swapped over, so we could get the most use out of aux bigger battery. They did this for us at no charge, and no hassle.

The A*B person we dealt with was always curtious, so I can not fault them on this account.

My question is:

Is this normal proceedure for A*B to do this type of battery switch, or am I not understanding their logic?

Being such a big player in the 4x4 industry, I cant understand why they would make the small cranking battery the aux battery.

All advice appreciated

Thanks

TonyG

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ThreadID: 27758 Replies: 5
Views: 1854 FollowUps: 8
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AnswerID: 137463   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:00

Boo replied:

Have had the similar suggested to me for my GQ,
to swap the cranking battery over for the aux and have heard of it from others but there's only one difference from what you said they did for you... In my case and others they suggested doing that (I dont mean A*B) but only to give me more AMPHR on the AUX battery as the crank battery was the larger of the two and I couldnt get a large AUX battery in.
In your situation Its got me beat why they would have done it..

Boo
Reply 1 of 5
FollowupID: 391144   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:13

Member - TonyG (Qld) posted:

Hi Boo,

From what I understand, the original cranking battery is only about 45-50 amp/hrs, so this is why I am confused they would make this the 2nd battery
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AnswerID: 137464   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:05

kev.h replied:

Mine is the other way (original crank battery is still the crank battery) but was advised to have both batteries the same you get a more even charge when they are connected together and do not overcharge your crank battery i fitted two
80 a/h marine batteries have had no problem fridge runs a couple of days
regards Kev
Reply 2 of 5
AnswerID: 137465   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:13

Member - Norm C (QLD) replied:

I'm confused.
You have a CCA (cranking) battery and a Deep Cycle battery. And they connected the Deep Cycle as the cranking battery and the CCA battery as the aux to run the fridge?
WTF??? What were they smoking??
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FollowupID: 391146   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:15

Member - TonyG (Qld) posted:

Hi Norm,

tell me about it. I thought there must be logic that I do not understand.

BTW, hope maps and oziexplorer are working well for you

Thanks

TonyG
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FollowupID: 391149   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 17:26

Member - Norm C (QLD) posted:

Works a treat Tony. Thanks for your help.
Only trouble is I bought a new (well second hand) laptop as the one I was using belonged to SWMBO. Didn't like me carting it around in the bush. Haven't been able to successfully set it up on the new laptop yet, but I'll get there eventually.
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FollowupID: 391163   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 18:49

Member - John (Vic) posted:

I must have missed something here but who said they supplied a deep cycle?

It is only said to be a 80 A/hr Excite, does not say a deep cycle.
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FollowupID: 391186   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:18

Member - Norm C (QLD) posted:

John, I claim no particular expertise, but my understanding is starter batteries are quoted in CCAs (cold cranking amps) and not Amp Hours and deep cycles are quoted in Amp Hours and not CCAs.

Based on this, if a battery is quoted as 80A/H; it is a deep cycle and not a starting battery.

Happy to be corrected, but that is my understanding.
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FollowupID: 391229   Submitted: Thursday, Nov 03, 2005 at 08:47

Redback posted:

This is not always the case, the battery in my Disco is a Delfi 110AH/850CCA as standard, i was told the same thing when doing my dual battery setup, i decided against it and have an exide ST620 75AH deep cycle battery instead.

But this option is usually only when the second battery is smaller than the cranking battery when room under the bonnet is a premium, clearly yours is the other way which is a bit strange.

Baz.
FollowUp 5 of 5
AnswerID: 137477   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 18:03

Spade Newsom replied:

TonyG,

Not sure if my situation is similar however. When my petrol Pajero had dual battery fitted there was very little room. A new battery plate was squeezed in but it was too small for a decent aux battery. They put the auxillary battery where the cranking battery was and tucked the cranking battery in the little crevice. Then they swapped all the wiring so that all was OK. Maybe your crew didn't think to swap everything around.

Spade

Reply 4 of 5
FollowupID: 391161   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 18:37

Member - TonyG (Qld) posted:

Hi spade,

Maybe that is what they did, and then tried to cover up their mistake
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AnswerID: 137513   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 20:28

Mike DiD replied:

"but was advised to have both batteries the same you get a more even charge when they are connected together and do not overcharge your crank battery "

- there are no facts to support this theory.

Mike
Reply 5 of 5
FollowupID: 391201   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 at 22:08

kev.h posted:

Mike
maybe it was just a ploy to get me to buy two big batteries ( the old one was stuffed anyway) i've had no problems so suits me
Kev
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