Auxiliary battery.

[loanrangie]

Did a measure up of my 105ah supercharge battery and the vacant spot by the abs pump and it misses out by 3cm [emoji20] , also tried the space near the coolant bottle but also just misses.

[101RRS]

If you are just looking at an aux battery - why are you looking at a Supercharge which is a compromise battery - part starter part deepcycle. Does both OK but not the greatest at either.

Having said that I do have a Supercharge as the Aux in my 101 where it does run the fridge etc but also the ignition and 12v accessories but start is from the 24v battery bank. I also have a Supercharge as the starter in the RRS as it does meet starting specs and is best value for money but not expected to last as long as better starters that are twice the price (dont give twice the life).

I believe if you arrange the overflow bottle etc - a full size battery will go in front of the starter but under the ABS box you will need something like a 50Ah Yellow Top - if you believe the talk the 50Ah Yellow Top works like like a 75Ah normal deep cycle. Not totally convinced.

Garry

[DeanoH]

That's all right. [bigsmile1] I'll swap you my brand new Century 55D23R MF (230X170X210) 60 ah for it [bigsmile]

Deano :)

[DeanoH]

........................................ is best value for money but not expected to last as long as better starters that are twice the price (dont give twice the life).

.................................. 50Ah Yellow Top - if you believe the talk the 50Ah Yellow Top works like like a 75Ah normal deep cycle. Not totally convinced.

Garry

Nothing wrong with SuperCharge batterys, I've had several over the years and they are my SLA battery of choice. As you say, excellent value for money and are as good as or better than their competition. I've found that the marine N70ZZ variant to be especially good in high vibration (corrugation) applications and definitely outlasts its competitors.

Optima batterys are as good as they're made out to be, or better IMO. I've got 3 that have been carted all over the country in the Oka and have lasted 7 years and are still going strong. IMO the Optimas greatest strength is its vibration damage immunity and it's ability to store charge very quickly. A great benefit if traveling in 'short hops' as they can be fully charged a lot quicker than conventional lead acid batterys.

Deano :)

[Ean Austral]

I was under the impression the optima yellow top can be used as both start and deep cycle.

Cheers Ean

[drivesafe]

Hi Loanrangie, with the D3 battery compartment on the driver’s side, the only battery that fits without the need of any form of modification is the Optima D34 Yellowtop.


I have heard that there may be an Odyssey that will as well, but I know nothing more than that.


If you fit a battery tray on the passenger side, just in front of the cranking battery compartment, you can fit another Optima yellowtop D34 there as well.


There are a number of other small batteries that can be fitted in the same spot in front of cranking battery but the size increase is so small it is just not worth going beyond the Optima D34 which is a 55Ah battery.


As DeanoH posted, the Optima can be rapid charged and in a very short period of time compered to other batteries, and if you really wanted to you can fit two Optimus under the bonnet of a D3 and “some” D4s.

[loanrangie]

I already have supercharge battery which is why I measured to see if it fits, would like a 75/85ah at least just a shame my battery won't fit as it's a cost I didn't need .
Also my last sc battery lasted 7 1/2 years as a main and I can buy 2 for the price of 1 optima.

[drivesafe]

While not the ideal solution, you could mount the auxiliary battery in the rear cargo area.

[Aussie Jeepster]

I was under the impression the optima yellow top can be used as both start and deep cycle.

Cheers Ean
When I had my J**p Wrangler diesel, it came with the D34 Yellow top as standard battery. Mine lasted 3 1/2 years.

[Aussie Jeepster]

While not the ideal solution, you could mount the auxiliary battery in the rear cargo area.
I've got my D34 mounted up front, as part of the Traxide kit, and I have an 80ah Thumper in the back which is kept charged via the Traxide wiring as well.

[irondoc]

The Remco 80AH just fits up front, but rubs on the bonnet a tiny bit (depending on what thread bolt and cables you use....) However, it is an AGM and apparently is not designed for underbonnet use, but I use one....

[ytt105]

I've got a 110ah agm in the area between the back seat and the rear cargo area. I do have a 5 seat only, so that may make a difference.

[loanrangie]

I've got a 110ah agm in the area between the back seat and the rear cargo area. I do have a 5 seat only, so that may make a difference.
Yeah I measured the area under the rear seat squab but not high enough.

[Tinman]

I too have an 80 amp Remco on the driver's side. Been there for 2 years without a problem. My son also has one in his D4 for 2 years without any problems also.
Cheers

[drivesafe]

I too have an 80 amp Remco on the driver's side. Been there for 2 years without a problem. My son also has one in his D4 for 2 years without any problems also.
Cheers
That's interesting.

Does the Hold Down Bracket and compartment cover fit on?

[Graeme]

Does the Hold Down Bracket and compartment cover fit on?On mine the cover did not fit so the battery was not installed there. Furthermore, 2 years for an AGM aux battery is hardly an indication of its ability to survive. The Remco 80Ah in now my son's D4 was initially fitted to my D2 in 2008 (not in the engine bay) before being transferred to the D4's 2nd row foot-well at the start of 2010 and is still going, now 9 years old.

[Tinman]

I used a piece of 25mm x 3mm flat steel made a couple of bolts like the original bolts that hold the battery in. I used a heat gun to soften the front top section of the battery cover and pressed it into place. So now cover fits battery fits.

[Redback]

We killed a D34 yellow top on our Kimberley trip running two fridges off it, not designed to run two fridges, especially if one is used as a freezer, so we had a 100AH setup in the back cargo area while away.

The Century NS70T should fit in the both positions in the D4 looking at it's dimentions, no idea what they are like though.

[CraigE]

If you are just looking at an aux battery - why are you looking at a Supercharge which is a compromise battery - part starter part deepcycle. Does both OK but not the greatest at either.

Having said that I do have a Supercharge as the Aux in my 101 where it does run the fridge etc but also the ignition and 12v accessories but start is from the 24v battery bank. I also have a Supercharge as the starter in the RRS as it does meet starting specs and is best value for money but not expected to last as long as better starters that are twice the price (dont give twice the life).

I believe if you arrange the overflow bottle etc - a full size battery will go in front of the starter but under the ABS box you will need something like a 50Ah Yellow Top - if you believe the talk the 50Ah Yellow Top works like like a 75Ah normal deep cycle. Not totally convinced.

Garry

What I found odd was the Supercharge Gold battery I had in my D1 as an aux battery performed much better than any so called deep cycle and agm I had used up until recently. Cost and length of life I found the Supercharge outstanding. Currently I am running SSB batteries AGM with 1000CCA and 130AH, so far so good, but again nearly double the RRP of a Supercharge ( I got mine a bit cheaper). Would never have an Optima again, biggest waste of money and overpriced compared to a lot else out there.

[Tony Manero]

Team
Simple solution
Bolsta battery box. Anderson. Merit.terminals. usb. 12 v cig. Led monitor.plus 100 watt inverter. $189
105ah century agm
In the cargo area
Anderson fly lead to starting battery. Isolator to start engine only
Solved

[loanrangie]

Team
Simple solution
Bolsta battery box. Anderson. Merit.terminals. usb. 12 v cig. Led monitor.plus 100 watt inverter. $189
105ah century agm
In the cargo area
Anderson fly lead to starting battery. Isolator to start engine only
Solved
Not exactly a neat solution but may work for some.

[PerthDisco]

I personally like the idea of an extra rear mounted 'engel' battery I bring in when I gear up for a trip as I will never permanently be set up in camp mode. I'm interested to know how the charging wiring works for this.

[drivesafe]

Hi PerthDisco, these are just like most of the battery boxes available.


If you are only going to need them once in a blue moon, for a weekend away then they will be fine.


If you are planning a long trip and want to recharge the battery while driving, then you still need to install a dual battery isolator and to run heavy cabling to the battery box’s Anderson Plug.


Because if you try to use the builtin DC/DC charger and you have say a 120Ah battery in a low state, you will need to drive for nearly 20 hours straight, to recharge the battery. Not really very practical.


As above, for a weekend trip away, where you don’t need to recharge the battery till you get home, fine. But for just about anything else, a dual battery setup would be cheaper, more effective, and a lot easier on your back.

[Redback]

Hi PerthDisco, these are just like most of the battery boxes available.


If you are only going to need them once in a blue moon, for a weekend away then they will be fine.


If you are planning a long trip and want to recharge the battery while driving, then you still need to install a dual battery isolator and to run heavy cabling to the battery box’s Anderson Plug.


Because if you try to use the builtin DC/DC charger and you have say a 120Ah battery in a low state, you will need to drive for nearly 20 hours straight, to recharge the battery. Not really very practical.


As above, for a weekend trip away, where you don’t need to recharge the battery till you get home, fine. But for just about anything else, a dual battery setup would be cheaper, more effective, and a lot easier on your back.

The one we had installed in Broom runs via your Isolator Tim, it's connected inline with the 2nd battery, not ideal being two different types of batteries, but it got us out of trouble.

[drivesafe]

Hi RED and because my isolators exploit how an alternator works, you should not have any problems charging mixed battery types at the same time.


I think this might be another subject to cover in my AUTO-ELECTRIC thread.

[trout1105]

I personally like the idea of an extra rear mounted 'engel' battery I bring in when I gear up for a trip as I will never permanently be set up in camp mode. I'm interested to know how the charging wiring works for this.

I have run some wiring from the battery to the rear of my D2a (Fused both ends) to an Anderson plug.
I just hook into this rear plug and I charge the rear batteries directly via the alternator from this rear power outlet when I am travelling and it is usually good for a couple of days when parked up But I always disconnect the batteries from the rear plug when stopped.

When I am staying for a few days I deploy my solar panels unplug from the rear Anderson plug and hook the solar directly to the rear batteries,
This setup easily runs 2 x 12v fridges and solar lighting as well.
Using the K.I.S.S. principle here [thumbsupbig]

[TB]

Hope it's OK to add my question to this thread.

I just figured out that the 2010 D4 I recently acquired has a Redarc SBI12 aux battery isolator and a nice fat wire running under the passenger side of the car to an external Anderson plug near the tow hitch. That's totally perfect for my compressor, so yay.

However I also want to install a new UHF radio and have to figure out whether to run it (a) permanently from the cranking battery and remember to turn it off, (b) from the cranking battery but linked to the accessory power switch, or (c) from an actual aux battery.

There's also the consideration of a fridge for short-ish camping trips which I am interested in but not yet committed to.

The Redarc is installed right in front of my cranking battery, taking up some of the space where smaller aux batteries can be squeezed.

So questions...
Do I go with option A, B or C for my UHF?
If C, which battery, where to install, what other changes to make?

[l00kin4]

Hope it's OK to add my question to this thread.

I just figured out that the 2010 D4 I recently acquired has a Redarc SBI12 aux battery isolator and a nice fat wire running under the passenger side of the car to an external Anderson plug near the tow hitch. That's totally perfect for my compressor, so yay.

However I also want to install a new UHF radio and have to figure out whether to run it (a) permanently from the cranking battery and remember to turn it off, (b) from the cranking battery but linked to the accessory power switch, or (c) from an actual aux battery.

There's also the consideration of a fridge for short-ish camping trips which I am interested in but not yet committed to.

The Redarc is installed right in front of my cranking battery, taking up some of the space where smaller aux batteries can be squeezed.

So questions...
Do I go with option A, B or C for my UHF?
If C, which battery, where to install, what other changes to make?

Hi TB,
If you don't feel like installing a second battery yet you could do option A and with most newish UHFs, they will have an Auto-off function (the ICom IC-450 definitely does) so you don't have to worry about turning it off... just a thought.
David

[rocket rod]

Given you have some cabling already in place I would go for a 2nd battery. I have my radio connected to the 2nd battery and leave it on all the time. I tell everyone I'm camping with to take a handheld radio with them if they wander off and if they get into trouble they can call up, anytime day or night.

[scarry]

I have run some wiring from the battery to the rear of my D2a (Fused both ends) to an Anderson plug.
I just hook into this rear plug and I charge the rear batteries directly via the alternator from this rear power outlet when I am travelling and it is usually good for a couple of days when parked up But I always disconnect the batteries from the rear plug when stopped.

When I am staying for a few days I deploy my solar panels unplug from the rear Anderson plug and hook the solar directly to the rear batteries,
This setup easily runs 2 x 12v fridges and solar lighting as well.
Using the K.I.S.S. principle here [thumbsupbig]

I had that set up in the falcon panel vans we used as service vehicles in the 80's,less the solar panels.

Did the job,no issues at all.,nice and simple.

[Aussie Jeepster]

I have the Traxide kit in my D3 with a D34 in the front, and this is the thumper in the back, also connected to the traxide wiring in the rear.
130873

[Redback]

Hi RED and because my isolators exploit how an alternator works, you should not have any problems charging mixed battery types at the same time.


I think this might be another subject to cover in my AUTO-ELECTRIC thread.

Thanks Tim that's good to know, I'll look at setting this up permenently then.

Baz.