Dual battery confusion

Gee it would be safe bet to say that the deep cycle battery is the most suitable for what you say you are going to run off it. If you had a winch i would look at a cranking battery instead of a deep cycle. You have gotten it for nothing and have nothing to lose and might as well use it!

cheers

If you are mainly doing weekender then the deep cycle is the best IMO. You can run it down more on the weekend, then during the week of driving it get's a good chance to charge up ready for the next time.
Basically with deep cycles, you can flattern them more without casuing as much damage as you would to a cranking battery.
This is because the deep cycles has less plates and they are thicker so are a little stronger. It means you cannot draw as much current and it takes longer to charge. From my understanding the more cells a battery has, the quicker it charges.
Also with most dual battery setups you will never get the deep cycle to 100% charge. It'll just linger a little lower than that. But it doesn't really matter as you can run it for longer even if you take that into account.

Steve75

I think this is an ARB policy. I'm just been looking at an article in the July 2002 4WD Monthy magazine relating to this subject. The author was John Vanc den Eynden who at that time headed up ARB's NSW operations at Moorebank.
Quote: "Deep -cycle batteries are designed to be discharged and then fully recharged on a regular basis. Unless your a National Parks ranger or a tour operator, your second battery is likely to spend most of its life doing basically nothing - and that on of the best ways known to kill a deep-cycle battery"

I fall into the category of occasional camper. Around one long trip away and a few weekenders through the year. Despite this, I run a deep-cycle but use it constantly. My UHF CB is hard wired to it and it is runnning basically all the time with the volume turned down. I have power points around the vehicle and charge my phone, digital camera batteries and run a small cooler fridge at least once a week off it just to draw power. You can also wire the car audio system to run off it." Don't even consider connecting a winch to a deep-cycle however.

It basically depends on the type of use your going to put the battery to. eg bushbashing and lots of winching on a weekend mixed with the occasional weekend of camping you might be better of with a second HCD (starting battery). If your retired and intend spending lots of time camping, running lights, fridges etc the deep-cycle is the way to go.

Crowie

Steve - you have a free battery so use it for now. If you find you don't like it you can always change to another sort later. Get a few quotes to fit them or have a go yourself and save a few dollars. Look on the net - you'll find wiring diagrams - it isn't that hard.
As for the cranking v deep cycle issue I have used deep cycle for many years now believing they were the best but next time I'm going to cranking. Why? Because the cranking battery can easily be recharged by the alternator whereas once you flatten a deep cycle they can't be recharged effectively by the vehicle. They can only be recharged by trickle charging over an extended period of time (ie days, not hours). This was directly from the bloke who sold me the latest deep cycle and certainly helped explain the problems I'd had with past deep cycles. Unfortunately I only found out after I'd bought it when I thought it was cactus and went back to see what was wrong. His words were along the lines of "mate once you've run that deep cycle down you could drive from here to Bourke and back and it still wouldn't be charged" (I'm in Brisbane). As I don't have solar panels to extend battery life I believe for my use a cranking as the second battery would be best.
There are many factors involved in having the most suitable battery and your individual useage pattern will determine which is best. But as I said you have a free one so use it.

I'll never fit another deep cycle again!!

Exide extreme is my choice.

Then again, you may as well use the battery you have, until you kill it, then buy another!

Steve75

Here is some homework for you. I suggest you search around on the site below

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

and then re-resd the various posts and draw your own conclusions.

Cheers

Magnus

Hi steve
We travel very often and have always used a cranking battery and prior to us now enjoying our 4x4 adventures we had a 33ft yacht which we cruised around on for several years again using cranking batteries never had any probs, having said that if you don't constantly charge the cranking battery it will die very quickly for our camping trips we use a christie Engineering 12 volt 55amp battery charger attached to a 50cc Honda motor a very good unit for those longer stays doesn't need to run long to fully charge the battery.
A good read regarding this topic is Collyn Rivers Motorhome Electrics check out
www.caravanandmotorhomebooks.com
good luck
Barry

Steve,
I've put a dual battery system on my GU I've gone for a hybrid battery which is supposed to be a compromise between the deep cycle and the cranking battery, I also run a winch, like others I've wired up a couple of my "normal" accessories to the auxillary battery plus when I don't have the fridge on I've wired up one of those old mechanical electric clocks that I plug into the back socket, I store it inside the side pocket, this keeps a very slight discharge load on the battery, it's worked for me so far. I got my battery and advice from the company you mentioned.

Steve.
If the gel is good use it. the statement about a deep cycle battery needing to be dishcharged and then fully charged is incorect, a deep cycle lasts longer if it is kept charged all the time but it can be dishcharged if necessary. The ARB person who made the comment is confussing the gell cell with a nikad. It is important to remember that ARB agents are not all trianed technicaly they are sales people. Eric.

gday steve.
i use a marine battery.
good for charging/discharging.
high amp.
great for cranking battery.
can sit around for ages doing nothing.
sorry it dosnt answer your question
but im thinking arb are full of it.

Steve

Moose and Eric are on the 'money'here.

Firstly - relating to size- (my favourite subject) this governs whether or not you can use the battery you allready have. (Gel type). You have to determine the max size battery carrier that will or can be fitted to your vehcle.

Ask ARB what is their standard/largest they can fit to your vehicle.

(I strongly suggest you get the biggest sucker of a carrier that will fit).

If your current Gel deep cycle fits - excellent. If not and you have to buy a different profile battery to fit, then you can make a decision on a 'whatever' battery that suits your needs.

Secondly - if you can ,use what you have (for free) and if required upgrade later.

Have a good one

Ken Robinson

Thankyou all for your help. I will add this battery I have, and see what happens.

As for fitting it myself, im a little worried that I could make a mistake and destroy something, im not the best when it comes to DIY electricals.