2 smaller batteries powering a Waeco ?

In my unqualified opinion I reckon that it should be OK.

Seeing as you will be travelling every day to recharge the batteries.

Cheers Kev

Lionel, Should do it easily as long as the batteries are average size. Ian

G'day Lionel

Shouldnt be an issue seeing as you will be driving each day........

however an important point is to ensure the wiring you run to the back of the vehicle is of sufficient size to ensure that you maximise the charging efficiencies...no volt drop

put a circuit breaker in line at the cranking battery to prevent any starting current draw from your fridge batteries .......and run as a rule of thumb at least 6mm twin core to the rear....circuit breakers / fuse here also

cheers

bungarra

Morning Lionel and mate it wont be a problem. We have the 110 Waeco and it has done some big trips in the six years we have had it and never had a problem with batteries other than when we have been stationary for more than a couple of days and it has rained as well. We were at Calvert Range for four days a few years ago and it rained for three of them and we had to run the vehicle on the third day to top up the batteries. I run the fridge on a high setting while on the move and then back it off at night when it is cooler. Make sure that you use a suitably heavy pair of wires back to your rear batteries to minimise voltage drop (=V Loss)and all will be good. You will no doubt get the Nay sayers advising that you NEED to buy all sorts of things to do what you want and no doubt that some points will be valid if the setup was permanent but in the case you are putting just go for it. Enjoy your travels.

Buy a $20 Digital Multimeter so you can keep a check on normal operation.

If the battery voltage is less than 13.8 volts after you have been driving for a while to put some charge in the batteries and the engine is running at a fast idle (fridge disconnected), then the batteries are not getting sufficient charge.

With the engine off, keep in mind you'll see a much lower voltage when the fridge compressor is running, then when it's not. Monitor what's normal for your installation, so you get some advance warning if things go wrong.

Mornin' mate

With your electrics make shaw you use a fuse at the pos of each battery and then also for the fridge.
Also if you have a battery charger give the batteries a kick in the guts before you leave i would also take it with you.

Cool the fridge at home before you leave and if you can freeze a lot of your good this of course will help the fridge not work as hard.

Cheers & Beers.........Steve.

I don't have a Waco 80, but rather a 40.

Although I am an auto electrician, I hate working on my own car. So when I have taken our other car away for a couple of days on the road (Not the "all wired" Disco) I use a GMC Jump Start pack to run the fridge,. I have tried it at home and can get about 24 hours from it.

So.. I have a "double adaptor" that plugs into the GMC pack and then the Waeco plugs into that, and the other lead plugs into an ign controlled socket on the car.

When you're under way, the fridge runs basically off alternator supplied power.. and when stopped it runs from the bat pack.

The next day once you start off the car recharges the bat pack while you drive and the fridge runs at the same time.
Great for a temp set up.

The caveat is... don't try to run the fridge as a deep freezer or you'll suck the battery dry in a few hours. But if you're only stopping overnight, it works a treat!

Cheers

Mark T

(quote) "I was hoping to wire up 2 small car cranking batteries in the rear of the Patrol"..............

We are talking sealed batteries here, right??

Dangerous gases are like cigarettes. They are both Ok for a while then boom.
If u could ask my late wife she would tell you.
Favourite quote was Ïve smoked for 37 years and its done me no harm".
1 year later and lung reduction surgery that was unsuccessful and that was it. Boom lights out forever.

Same with gas, why tempt fate.

Guys, I understand that lead acid batteries can give off hydrogen and maybe other gasses when charging. What about sealed type AGM?

cHEERS OB

Thanks everyone so far,

Things like heavier wiring, fuses, voltage testing, how and when to run the fridge etc are all tips I needed to make this tempory installation work.

I dont know which Im looking forward to the most:

The actual trip or the diy battery and fridge installation.



Cheers........Lionel.

HI , i have the CF80 ( same fridge as your mate is lending you) - It is a very power hungry fridge ESPECIALLY when its hot outside ... what i have found is to pack your fridge FULL 2 days before you leave and have it sitting at home ON the charger that comes with it ( 240 v - 12 v) it will run virtually 24 hours straight getting all the food temp down - i also set it a little cooler before i set off say at -17(on turbo) . that way when it goes into your car, the power consumption will be to maintain the cool temp , not to get it down to this temperature.

i have dual battery set up in my 4x4(redarc) with deep cycle as my second battery ( 100 amp hr) and i have found that if i do not cool the fridge ( full ) at least a day or 2 before - my battery will not last anywhere near as long. In summer i also have a second 100 amp deep cycle battery that i connect up to the second battery in the car via jumper leads and then a 80w solar panel in the loop also.(whilst the car is parked)

I have just returned from 4 days away where i did not drive at all - and this worked for me without needing to run the car to top up batteries...

If you use a few large battery's such as truck batteries - in parallel and maybe being charged every other day by a little drive around gathering firewood or exploring , then you should be ok . But the as i said above -- fill the fridge DAYS before not on the day or the night before...

Boc

A handy tip that we have gained off of a fellow EO member is to remove one of the dividers between the fridge freezer part. The fridge runs colder on a lower setting while still being able to keep food frozen in the bottom of the freezer. We are both running 110lt waeco's and it works a treat.
Regards
Krakka