Best aux battery set up
Submitted: Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 19:45
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rare
I,m sure this will generate varying opinions but here goes anyway.
Today I was told that my 12 volt setup is not the most optimal. This was disappointing as I had it setup and installed by what I thought were specialists in this area
Here is what I,ve got. Axillary Battery A (65Amp) is housed under the bonnet is charged directly from the alternator and separated with a REDARC isolator. It has a fridge plug, spare cig sockets running from it and an Anderson plug. No problem with this setup I,m presuming.
Axillary Battery B (120Amp sealed) is housed internally under the rear Cargo floor is charged via a Ctek charger (From Alternator) which I,m told doubles as an Isolator from mains. This battery also has a fridge plug, spare cig sokets and Anderson plug running from it.
The alternator has been tested and rated to the required charging level.
Both A and B are separate from each other and the mains. They can be charged separately via the Anderson plugs.
I,ve been told the setup up should be Alternator > Ctek charger > battery A > battery b > one Anderson plug, Fridge plugs can remain the same it sounds neater and cleaner but if this is the best way why was not it not suggested by the so called experts?
Oh the joys of setting up your 12 volt systems????
Appreciate comments
Reply By: Flynnie - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:26
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:26
You have not told us of any shortcomings in your system so I assume there are none. Given that there are no problems, performance must be satisfactory. My advise - leave
well enough alone. Pursuit of "most optimal" is pointless. There is no such thing.
Likely you will get a lot of replies on this
forum from people who are not auto electricians that will just confuse the issue. Your setup seems to follow normal practice. Disclaimer I am not an auto electrician.
If it ain't broke don't fix it.
PS - I reckon under bonnet batteries should be charged from the alternator as in your setup and also as in
mine. There could be some vehicles where this does not work and may need things done differently. It seems in your case the installer knew what he was doing and it does work.
Flynnie
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Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:48
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:48
mate it sounds like a really good set-up ..... where is the "primary" battery, i will assume it is under the bonnet as
well eh ???
Do you have a winch ?? or any other HIGH drawing accessorys ....
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Follow Up By: rare - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:25
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:25
Being a 100 series it has dual cranking batteries. I can run two Engel fridges (three kids + beer).
Winch has not been added yet but I will get advice on where to draw power from for that. Likely to be the aux 120amp thou
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Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:51
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:51
i have three kids and i like your set up ....... really there is no "best set up" as there are sooooo many options out there, you can have a "main" battery and heavy cables to 2 other batterys with a heavy isolator and it will last forever and never give you trouble or spend thousands on all the fancy crud and still have the same end result...... to many systems are rated on the complexity and cost and after all you can pay what $150 bucks for a new N70Z, few heavy cables and isolator switch and it will last for years and never give you trouble, most trucks n busses of the same year are set up like that and run fine for years, and have all sorts of accessorys running off them ............ or the latsest "gell cells" and other stuff for a thousand, thats a lot of N70Z's .....
Invest in good fuses so it dont burn to the ground in the event of a short and forget the rest...
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Reply By: Member -Paul M (WA) - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:50
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 20:50
Its a redarc aussie made good stuff not like some others jap crap
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Follow Up By: Member - Stuart P (WA) - Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 01:11
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 01:11
redarc solenoids maybe made in korea
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Reply By: PradOz - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:53
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 21:53
Hi - just to get it in early "I am not an auto elec either!"
But just today i spent a considerable bit of time (and money) at a battery/auto elec specialist business in
Wollongong area. He said to me: Connect Auxillary Battery A to Primary Starter Battery via your Isolator; Connect Auxillary Battery B to Aux Batt A via CTEK DC/DC Charger. He also said there is no one way, it comes down to how you want to run it and what you want to do it.
Not sure if that helps or not - can be confusing hey with all the "experts" out there. Funny thing is all these different "perfect aux set ups" seem to still work ok no matter if they are set up differently. It all seems to come down to your choice of set up and preferences for what to run off it, and vehicle and battery choice. Best of luck....
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Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 22:44
Monday, Nov 15, 2010 at 22:44
Rare I see the best battery system as one that is simple, has a large capacity, lasts more than 5 years & is not expensive. To acheive that I have 2 x 130ah deep cycle batteries wired in parrallel through high amprerage cable & a key switch. And that's it! No fancy electronics, no isolator, no seperate starting battery.
It runs my 73L fridge & two lights over 3 full days in the heat without dropping below 30%. It supplies more than enough power for the winch. It cranks the engine over very fast.
$700 installed in a 105 series Cruiser. Obviously wouldn't suit all needs but works particually
well when touring.
Cheers Craig........
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Follow Up By: Member - dave e (QLD) - Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 12:19
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 12:19
hi crackles when you say a key switch, what do you mean.
simple is good,big heavy cables and like you say if your gunna have 3 batteries,have the 2 aux batts in parallel which gives you a massive amp hour capacity,and if your out bush with no one around,no complicated electrics to fail is good
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 15:25
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 15:25
Dave,
This is what I use between twin cranking batteries , and I'm guessing its what Craig is using:
I've used this simple system a lot - great for those who use their vehicle every day, so the batteries don't get flattened. The batteries last longer because they share all the loads. I use the Exide extremes or Yuasa Overlanders (both about 80Ah) with just a switch between them and like the ones under my bonnet at present, they last at least 4 years, before they get retired off into another vehicle.
The big downside of this system is if you have one of the batteries fail suddenly (eg drops a cell), and it will pull the good battery down with it. So its no good for a solo desert traveller, as it can leave you high and dry.
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Follow Up By: Crackles - Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 16:01
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 16:01
Have used those red key switches in the past on both private & work vehicles & even the brand name ones have not been reliable. As they are only rated to 100 amps when you opperate the winch there is the possibility of over 200 amps flowing through it. Are now using the Blue Sea type.
Cheers Craig...........
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Reply By: Mick O - Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 08:17
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2010 at 08:17
I spent a good deal of time researching and developing what I thought was the best option for my needs. Paramount were the opinions of knowledgeable members of EO and a few DC experts. My thinking behind it and the actual build of the system is outlined in the middles sections of my blog on the ute build. It wasn’t cheap but I’ve used top quality in all things and entirely Redarc components.
79 Ute build
Cheers Mick
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Reply By: Mike DiD - Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 at 20:42
Sunday, Nov 21, 2010 at 20:42
"Today I was told that my 12 volt setup is not the most optimal."
By any chance, did that person stand to make some money out of changing your system to THE optimal setup ????
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Follow Up By: rare - Monday, Nov 22, 2010 at 08:14
Monday, Nov 22, 2010 at 08:14
No II dont thin so but part of what he said made sense. The anderson plugs which will be used for solar charging have the positive wireing connected directly to batteries while the negative are earther to the chasis. He said the cabling should be thinker and the negatives sholud also go back directly to the batteries.This part makes sense to me
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