Thread: lithium dual battery ideas

Originally Posted by jwb

Did the trip in the D4.
Happy to report that my setup worked flawlessly across the Simpson and camping on the way home.
Induction cooktop was heavily used as well as the 12volt oven for evening meals
Nespresso coffee every morning as well as the fridge/freezer running continuously.
Lowest SOC at start of days driving around 50%
Even ran a small hair dryer one morning when a shower was available!..........

Now we are all wondering what your hairdo looks like.

The original question was about dual lithium ideas - however I learnt a lot from traxide. I have a D2 and D1 - which really like for their simplicity.

Regarding the original question - it depends on your mission. I position my vehicle under the shade in national parks where I do long daily or overnight walks - so no driving and no solar harvesting near the vehicle. I walk to fish mainly - all day.
I don’t camp in the sun unless I’m forced to by the environment I am visiting.

I just have a good cranking battery in both vehicles.

Lion 100Ahr batteries are very light in weight. I have 2 which have internal bluetooth data logging - from a company in south brisbane. (about $700 each). They come in a stainless case. One battery stays in the vehicle to run the fridge - the other is chained via its stainless handle to a tree and connected to a solar blanket maybe 50m from the car wherever I can harvest the most solar in the clearest area from shadows I can find - bearing in mind that the sun remains low on the horizon most of the winter and shadow is the enemy. I swap them over as required.

Because they are so light, why mount them anywhere? Having the ability to swap them out suits my mission. If I do drive for 30 minutes somewhere I will simply charge the low one by direct heavy cable to the alternator - goes through firewall to an anderson behind the drivers seat. The Daly BMS inside the stainless box good for 150amps.

Having 2 gets me by when there is 4-5 days overcast.

I generally cook over a fire, use a jet oil for a quick cup of tea, never blow dry my hair - but I do shower regularly using those good old black plastic solar showers and pop up shower cubicle - solar showers are filled with creek water and put in the sun with the solar blanket.

Obviously driving long distances everyday as your adventure is different and is easy regarding recharging requirements - but not for everyone.

Additionally if I am at a lake - where I have towed my kayaks or tinny - and need to use the electric trolling motor, I simply grab one of the batteries and go. Generally at lakes there is a camp kitchen where I will put the Victron high current charger onto the LION to replace the 30 amps I use chasing fish.

I still camp in the shade in the non-powered area away from the maddening caravan crowd watching their TV shows on the big screen hung under their awnings - why are they really there?

Hope this helps those who operate similarly.