Auxiliary Battery - Deep Cycle or Crank Type ??

Don't confuse yourself, just get a good quality marine battery and you will be on the right track.

No electric winch, but my second battery is a cranker using an electronic isolator. Why ? Because if the main battery goes downhill I can still start the vehicle.
The little isolators you speak of are on Ebay for less I think. I have yet to find a voltmeter that is easy to mount and will monitor both batteries. Might be very handy.

Go deep cycle every tiime. Cranking batts are for crank only. I dont know if i can say this but I work at a place which sell deep cycle and will get you the right price. We do 4x4 batts, one guy has one in the land cruiser and runs a winch + fridge and camp lights etc with inverter, does well with it.

call the shop if you wish, tell em you are off the forum, and get the right price.

(03) 95332904

I use a battery that is the same as the main battery.

On my previous 4wd I had various battreries at different times and cooked three isolators and lots of batteries. The problem was solved when I bought two identical batteries and ran them through a simple mechanical isolator. I had to lift the bonnet and turn a screw. It was cheap and simple and I fixed quite a few things before they became problems while I had the bonnet up.

I currently have 2 chloride batteries and ran my fridge for a week in Jan on the Gold Coast. The car only rean for about 3 hours in the hole week, no battery problems.

As has been expressed earlier it is nice to be able to start the car from the auxiliary if you need to.

Duncs

Hope you have lots of fire wood !!!!!
This question has to be the most talked about subject around the proverbial camp fire outside the tyre debate ???
Just so I don't start a war "AGAIN" this is my experience only !!
I have had success with the heavy duty truck Batteries (100a/h)
Tried marine Batteries no different only cost more for fancy name ??
Considered Deep cycle, havn't used them so I don't Know, reason being that every
person I spoke to that has travelled this country extensivelly as we have suggested that the HD battery were better way to go !!
As I said this is my experience ???
I have used the HD Truck batteries for both main and auxillary for the past 25yrs 4x4 travelling this great country of ours, as well as using them in our 33ft yacht when we were cruising the fantasic coast of Oz most of the time using just a simple solenoid arrangement ( You know the "KISS" theory) always worked for me. Must admit that at the moment using one of those new fangled gizzmo's from
Jaycar Electronics on my cruiser only because it came with it, 12 months on it's going oK ?? First time it gives me trouble guess what ?? going back to the Solenoid
The one thing I will "STRESS" is that you have to be marticulous in keeping second battery charged I have killed a few HD batteries only because I was too lazy to keep them charged. ie camped some where for a few days and not running the car or charging battery, continually flattern the HD batts and they spit the dummy, but they are much quicker to charge now we use the Christies Honda/Alternator combo religously and everything works a treat for us they are also easy to buy anywhere if you need to, at what cost ???
Hope this helps
Just one mans opinion
Cheers
Barry

Beast,

Redarc don’t actually RECOMMEND a deep cycle battery with their solenoid, read these pages their new web site;
http://www.redarc.com.au/ss_two.pdf
http://www.redarc.com.au/sbi_cycling.pdf
http://www.redarc.com.au/BatteryIsolator.pdf

you have posted Warn does RECOMMEND a deep cycle battery with their winch, so you can’t have both products and expect them both to work.

You want a heavy (eg 200A) fusible link that can bolt to the BATTERY post and take feeds from in case of a major short, and cannot find one
---> Why not ask the Warn winch supplier??

Postage for solenoid is $8.40 via Aussie post, Australia wide, are you being ripped off?

A proper Deep Cycle battery will last much longer than one just rated in CCA, as you can discharge it deeper without damaging it.

A Deep Cycle Battery can and will start a vehicle in place of the normal starting battery if required.

If the two batteries are separated by a quality isolator, then the chances of your primary battery failing you will be reduced to a negligible level, apart from eventual age.

If the two batteries are paralleled together without an isolator, you increase the chances of two flat or damaged batteries and then you are in deep bleep .

You will get many different opinions from forumites but the simple fact remains:-

Batteries rated in Cold Charging Amps are specifically designed to give high starting current but only limited discharge cycles before they deteriorate.

Batteries rated in Amp Hours are specifically designed for deep discharge cycles, down to 20% without damage for a AGM type battery, or 30% for a wet cell battery and these will still start most types of vehicles if necessary.

All dual battery configurations should include a quality isolator to protect the PRIMARY battery (that is, the one you need to start and run your engine with) from accidental discharge.

Anything less than the above is simple compromise and by the way, I have not mentioned any brand names deliberately to reduce argument and keep your Post on track.

I think i'm with the majority here for a change. I use N70ZZs (650cca) for both main & auxilliary and swap them around about every 6 months. I use a solenoid type isolator- that way you're getting the full 13.8v charge the the second battery. Some of the 'electronic' type isolators with diodes and stuff tend to limit the voltage. Also have a voltmeter with two position swith to monitor condition of both batterys.
Also using Warn winch- D/S battery a definite no no for winching.

G'Day Beast,
We have a 4.5 Petrol Troopy with an ARB Smart solenoid and two N70EX Batteries with the winch hooked to the main battery[ as per instructions from ARB dealer that we purchased it from]. The N70EX was chosen because it apparently has the best of both worlds in batteries. It charges like a normal cranking battery [unlike a deep cycle which takes a lot longer to charge unless is one of the super expensive glass mat batteries] but the battery stores and releases like a deep cycle battery. We then chose the smart solenoid because once the main battery reaches between13.2 &13.5 volts it switches over to charge the second battery. If in the event our main battery goes flat we have a jump start button on the dash that links the two batteries together. Our main reason for choosing a solenoid like this over just a standard mechanicl solenoid is as soon as you turn your key to the on position your normal solenoid opens so you are actually cranking of both batteries. The main problem with this is if your main battery colapses you dont know about it until you head bush and flatten your second battery with your fridge then you have a problem starting your vehicle. With the electronic isolater we find the batteries get charged better having the full attention af the alternater allocated to the battery that requires it at the time . We run a waeco cf110 in the rear of the cruiser 24-7 365 days of the year.

Troopytrek!!!!!

Hi Guys -
Heres a link that may give you some more info on batteries.

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq.htm

cheers

Mate..if you are so stuck for $4...I'll send it to you..

If all else fails - GOOGLE-the 12 v side of life. Some interesting info.