Dual battery top up

I'm in the same situation, JK, with a dc-dc charger. My tourer is my run-around when at home and all it gets then is short runs. I don't charge the second battery other than by driving, except if I use it - fridge for a picnic or some such - then I'll give it a full charge to bring it up and then let the daily run-around look after it.

Battery is a 120Ah SSB AGM. I've had no problems, it's now 4 years old.

Cheers

If your not running anything off it and have a dc dc charger fitted short runs will keep it just fine.

Car would be used mainly for day trips round town very short runs with the occasional trip away . Probably 4 times a year one week at a time and the occasional weekend away.
.

Lets ask the question again.
Will anything be running off of the second battery when in town and what do you refer to as short trips, is this car a daily driver or will it be parked up for extended periods??

You may be better off with a removable set up with the battery in its own box complete with dc dc charger.

Jihnny K
If you have a Kluger, then it almost certainly has an ECU controlled alternator, so simple solenoid linking to the second battery may never charge the aux batt properly.
Fitting a suitable DC DC charger matched for the purpose is good, BUT, if you are doing the short trips you mentioned in previous posts, then the DC DC charger will hardly have time to get it's brain sorted and begin appropriate charging before you switch off the engine at the end of the very short trip. DC DC chargers work on programmed time intervals and detected voltage level of main battery to decide what to do and when to begin charging the aux battery.
The DC DC will be good for almost all other normal longer run, useage though.

At home you can use an Anderson plug on a lead added to the aux battery and simply plug in a suitable 240v AC charger to charge and to deliver a similar charge profile to the aux battery or to top up prior to travelling. Charger needs to be modified to have an Anderson on it to make it simple.
I have a digital voltmeter across my batteries, aux battery included, so at a glance I can see if a charge is required or something has gone wrong with the normal systems.

Fitting a 2nd battery can crack the engine bay wall so check to see if others have done it successfully.

Johnnykluger,

What type of dual battery system are you having fitted?

When you go away for a week what will you be running of the aux battery?

During the week your away how long are you camped out for without running the car?

During the week, around town with no load on the battery I let the redarc handle the charge to the batteries.

Out bush or beach for a few days, with the camping lights and Waeco running off the aux battery, and doing little or no driving then I've generally got a 120w solar blanket sitting on the roof of the 4WD to provide additional charge.

Takes about 2 minutes to set the blanket up and I either plug it into the spare 12v socket in the cabin or the Anderson plug at the rear - both of which are directly connected to the aux battery.

So far no problems.

Simon

Sorry I’d better clarify, I have just purchased a 2014 hilux for which the dual battery system is for . As for the problem of charging a solar panel permanently mounted to the roof connected to a dc-dc charger should solve the problem?

hi
dc/dc charger with mppt solar input as well.

Either solar panel on roof racks OR
Portable solar around the 150--160 watt

240v charging
Have an Anderson plug located just behind bumper and charge while home.