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85 county
14th October 2012, 06:05 PM
OK i have 2X N7 and a marine controller switch thing.

so i can have ether or one battery at a time.
i pick up the N7s for about a $100 each.

no i have run battery's down really low a few times which seems to kill them.

so is there another sort of battery i should be using or should i be taking a difrent aproch?

justinc
14th October 2012, 06:12 PM
A designated deep cycle battery has different construction, to allow for big discharges and full recharges continually without loosing plate material etc.

How are you running them down? If by sitting for long periods even an N70 leadacid battery will last years if not allowed to fully discharge and be recharged contiunually, so a trickle charge or solar panel top up charger will make all the difference. Much as I like the marine type simple controllers, a traxide SC80, USI190 or similar unit will be a more useful battery management idea.


JC

85 county
14th October 2012, 06:19 PM
A designated deep cycle battery has different construction, to allow for big discharges and full recharges continually without loosing plate material etc.

How are you running them down? If by sitting for long periods even an N70 leadacid battery will last years if not allowed to fully discharge and be recharged contiunually, so a trickle charge or solar panel top up charger will make all the difference. Much as I like the marine type simple controllers, a traxide SC80, USI190 or similar unit will be a more useful battery management idea.


JC
i have solar panels which untill recently were keeping on top of things. its mainly the fridge that will run them down, there is no voltage cut out on the fridge.

last N7 i replaced was dated 1997, unfortunately its mate has died 10.5 volts max and its replacement charged up to 13.8 but was at 11.2 miday following

bee utey
14th October 2012, 06:21 PM
I like the N70EX which is a 4WD rated semi-deep cycle, good for a starting battery but will deep cycle too if not continuously. About $169 the last time I bought one from Bridgestone at Magill. My last one lasted 7 years with a few camping trips.

justinc
14th October 2012, 06:42 PM
i have solar panels which untill recently were keeping on top of things. its mainly the fridge that will run them down, there is no voltage cut out on the fridge.

last N7 i replaced was dated 1997, unfortunately its mate has died 10.5 volts max and its replacement charged up to 13.8 but was at 11.2 miday following

That doesn't help:(. Still, 5 years isn't bad really for $100 a battery:p

JC

clubagreenie
14th October 2012, 07:51 PM
To jump onto this, I have a D2 and am debating the merits of how to setup the batteries. I can fit, and have plans for a replacement tray that will hold 2 x optimas plus still hold the jack. But as comes up, while these are very durable and are deep cycle they have a very low amp hour rating, less than a single standard battery potentially.

So I'm thinking for my uses which are weekday running around and trips of less than a week (on weekends) only running a cheap bunnings fridge which is off when car is off. Only accessories in car are U.H.F., GPS/tablet, driving lights (150w fyrlyts), aftermarket stereo/amp & winch. There's no dimming at idle unless everything is on and you winch under load. Not a likely scenario, just done to establish what it takes.

So I like the redundancy of having a backup for starting uses (especially with the auto) but Cat make a great value 1000A/h unit but limits it to most likely one battery in the box. Are there any options fora smaller start only battery then use the large unit for everything else.

I don't want anythingn the back and the LH corner has the compressor, catch can and breathers there.

bee utey
14th October 2012, 08:06 PM
To jump onto this, I have a D2 and am debating the merits of how to setup the batteries. I can fit, and have plans for a replacement tray that will hold 2 x optimas plus still hold the jack. But as comes up, while these are very durable and are deep cycle they have a very low amp hour rating, less than a single standard battery potentially.

So I'm thinking for my uses which are weekday running around and trips of less than a week (on weekends) only running a cheap bunnings fridge which is off when car is off. Only accessories in car are U.H.F., GPS/tablet, driving lights (150w fyrlyts), aftermarket stereo/amp & winch. There's no dimming at idle unless everything is on and you winch under load. Not a likely scenario, just done to establish what it takes.

So I like the redundancy of having a backup for starting uses (especially with the auto) but Cat make a great value 1000A/h unit but limits it to most likely one battery in the box. Are there any options fora smaller start only battery then use the large unit for everything else.

I don't want anythingn the back and the LH corner has the compressor, catch can and breathers there.

Could you find room for an Optima (or similar) behind the RH rear tyre? Hang it off the chassis rail? After all, that's where they put gas conversion petrol tanks.

clubagreenie
14th October 2012, 08:32 PM
Could you find room for an Optima (or similar) behind the RH rear tyre? Hang it off the chassis rail? After all, that's where they put gas conversion petrol tanks.

Water tank.

85 county
15th October 2012, 03:23 PM
ok battery is sorted thank bueutie.

what about an inline gizzmoe that will shut things down in the battery gets 2 low??

drivesafe
15th October 2012, 05:09 PM
what about an inline gizzmoe that will shut things down in the battery gets 2 low??

Thanks for the promo Justinc.

Hi 85 county, I have a NEW SC80 and SC80+A isolator about to be posted up on my web site.

The new SC80 is a direct replacement for the old SC80 and SC80-LR. The new SC80 is smaller in size but has the same 90 amp cranking battery to auxiliary battery capacity but uses much less power, less than half that of the old SC80.

Like the old SC80, the new SC80 is designed to protect your cranking battery.

The SC80+A has the same battery to battery capacity as the new SC80, but the SC80+A also has a dedicated 30 amp ACCESSORIES output.

With the SC80+A, you move your accessories from your auxiliary battery to the ACCESSORIES output on the SC80+A and this then protects your auxiliary battery from being over discharged.

85 county, this 30 amp ACCESSORIES output is designed to protect your auxiliary battery so the SC80+A is two isolators in one package and protects both your cranking battery and your auxiliary battery. This is probably what you are after.

Pedro_The_Swift
15th October 2012, 05:52 PM
Hey Cluba,, yours have SLS?
if not the tray on the chassis under the navs door could suit,,

clubagreenie
16th October 2012, 01:19 AM
Sill tanks...

85 county
16th October 2012, 07:19 AM
Thanks for the promo Justinc.

Hi 85 county, I have a NEW SC80 and SC80+A isolator about to be posted up on my web site.

The new SC80 is a direct replacement for the old SC80 and SC80-LR. The new SC80 is smaller in size but has the same 90 amp cranking battery to auxiliary battery capacity but uses much less power, less than half that of the old SC80.

Like the old SC80, the new SC80 is designed to protect your cranking battery.

The SC80+A has the same battery to battery capacity as the new SC80, but the SC80+A also has a dedicated 30 amp ACCESSORIES output.

With the SC80+A, you move your accessories from your auxiliary battery to the ACCESSORIES output on the SC80+A and this then protects your auxiliary battery from being over discharged.

85 county, this 30 amp ACCESSORIES output is designed to protect your auxiliary battery so the SC80+A is two isolators in one package and protects both your cranking battery and your auxiliary battery. This is probably what you are after.


so what if i have two different batteries, i think iunderstand that different batteries have different voltages etc, all over myhead in a way

85 county
16th October 2012, 07:27 AM
Also if your thingy, charges the second battery off the first battery, thenwhat happens if I switch the batteries around? i.e. the second becomes thefirst, will it charge the other way, or will it go bang or omit black Lucaslike smoke if I do? Will I end up stranded in the never never to die a slow painfuldeath and having fury teeth from drinking my own urine??

drivesafe
16th October 2012, 07:53 AM
so what if i have two different batteries, i think iunderstand that different batteries have different voltages etc, all over myhead in a way


Hi 85 county, and this is actually a myth.

All lead acid batteries have the same State of Charge voltage levels and as such can be paralleled and there will be no problems.

My isolators have been paralleling different types of batteries for more than 20 years now and they don’t cause problems doing so.

In reality, because of the way my isolators work, the auxiliary battery will actually help improve and maintain the charge level of the cranking battery.

As for swapping batteries around, again, as all lead acid batteries have the same State of Charge levels, the only thing you have to factor in is if the auxiliary battery is an ordinary type deep cycle battery.

While you can still safely use an ordinary deep cycle battery as a starting battery to get yourself out of a trouble situation, but to continually use an ordinary deep cycle battery as a starting battery, will dramatically shorten an ordinary deep cycle battery’s life span.

If you think you are going to regularly need to use your auxiliary battery as a starting battery then you should look at using something like an Optima Yellow Top deep cycle and winching battery.

85 county
16th October 2012, 08:41 AM
how much???

drivesafe
16th October 2012, 08:53 AM
Hi again 85 county, and the new SC80 is still the same price as the Old SC80, $125 and the new SC80+A, including a fused ACCESSORIES output, is $170 but there is a 10% AULRO discount on these isolators.

p38arover
22nd October 2012, 09:07 PM
My N70 starting battery went high impedance and was replaced last week.

I've now found my 100AH AGM has also died so I'm looking for a replacement. It is mounted under the floor in the spare wheel well. The location was the reason I went AGM.

However, I'm now thinking of replacing it with an identical battery to the starting battery but I'm concerned about gassing off. Do modern batteries gas off that much? Will it be an issue mounting a conventional battery under the floor noting it won't be that well ventilated. I can't see an easy way to vent the compartment to the outside without compromising water tightness.

My batteries are configured through a Traxide SC40 dual battery system.

bee utey
22nd October 2012, 09:27 PM
Minis and VW Beetles/Type 3's had the battery inside, as do the VE Commodores from memory. It should be safe so long as they aren't overcharged. I still remember the sulphuric acid stink in my mate's Mini K when the regulator failed. Evil.

drivesafe
22nd October 2012, 09:40 PM
I'm now thinking of replacing it with an identical battery to the starting battery but I'm concerned about gassing off.

Hi Ron and as bee utey posted, there is no problem with putting a standard wet cell battery inside the cab, there are more than 2 dozen NEW vehicles that come with the cranking battery in the cab or boot area.

But no matter what type of battery it is, it should be in a plastic battery box to protect against spillage, and this includes AGMs because they too can spew electrolyte if over charged.