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Thread: Looking for Discovery Sport DBS Guinea Pigs

  1. #1
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    Looking for Discovery Sport DBS Guinea Pigs

    Hi folks and while I originally was not going to develop dual battery kits for the D5 or Discovery Sport, as I has received so many requests to do so, I am now going to make D5 and Discovery Sports specific dual battery kits.


    To develop the new kits I will need some Guinea Pigs to set everything up and to take lots of photos for the instructions.


    So if anybody in the Gold Coast/Brisbane area is looking for a dual battery kit for their new Discovery Sport, and have a day or possibly two to spare, and would like a very discounted kit, please PM me

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    Hi folks and while I originally was not going to develop dual battery kits for the D5 or Discovery Sport, as I has received so many requests to do so, I am now going to make D5 and Discovery Sports specific dual battery kits.


    To develop the new kits I will need some Guinea Pigs to set everything up and to take lots of photos for the instructions.


    So if anybody in the Gold Coast/Brisbane area is looking for a dual battery kit for their new Discovery Sport, and have a day or possibly two to spare, and would like a very discounted kit, please PM me
    Hi Drivesafe, sorry I'm across the other side of the country so can't offer to be a Guinea Pig, but I have a couple of questions if you don't mind? I'm kinda new to the whole 4WD thing, so I'm not really clued up on what a dual battery system does. I've just bought a caravan to tow behind my DS, and I'm concerned that the standard LR tow electrics (15A fuse and 2.5mm wiring) wouldn't be up to the job of charging a house battery in the caravan or running the fridge while underway. Would a dual battery system help with that, or is having a house battery in the caravan already a "dual battery" system? Thanks.

  3. #3
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    Hi Mamil, there is a lot to what a dual battery system is used for but primarily purpose is if you use a battery or a number of batteries to run your accessories while camping, and then want to replace the used battery capacity while driving, then you will need decent cabling between the tow vehicle and your caravan or camper trailer.


    While there is a “BATTERY” connection in your trailer plug ( in the S12 plug ) it is designed to meet the needs of UK and European users, where they usually move from one powered campsite to the next, and the “BATTERY” connection is for no more than keeping an already charged house battery topped up.


    This is the very basics of a DBS, but if you would like to know more, for your own use, just ask away.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    Hi Mamil, there is a lot to what a dual battery system is used for but primarily purpose is if you use a battery or a number of batteries to run your accessories while camping, and then want to replace the used battery capacity while driving, then you will need decent cabling between the tow vehicle and your caravan or camper trailer.


    While there is a “BATTERY” connection in your trailer plug ( in the S12 plug ) it is designed to meet the needs of UK and European users, where they usually move from one powered campsite to the next, and the “BATTERY” connection is for no more than keeping an already charged house battery topped up.


    This is the very basics of a DBS, but if you would like to know more, for your own use, just ask away.
    Thanks Drivesafe, so in my situation am I right in thinking the first thing to do is replace the inadequately sized wiring that comes as standard with DS to the S12 plug for charging the caravan battery? Then I can get a decent charge current down the line and out to my house battery in the caravan. But what about the fridge in the caravan, does this run off the house battery while I'm traveling, so basically using that same path to get it's juice? Or does it run off the "Auxiliaries" socket in the S12 plug, in which case would I need to beef up this wiring as well? Thanks.

  5. #5
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    Hi again Mamil, send me your fridge details, or if you know the wattage of the fridge while on 12v, post that up.


    Depending on the size ( wattage ) of the fridge, you may be able to power it through the S12 plug.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    Hi again Mamil, send me your fridge details, or if you know the wattage of the fridge while on 12v, post that up.


    Depending on the size ( wattage ) of the fridge, you may be able to power it through the S12 plug.
    Hi Drivesafe, unfortunately mine is a rather large (190L) 3-way fridge, so draws a lot of power, 170W or 14A @ 12V.

    Given that the total distance from the DS battery to the caravan battery is about 10 metres, and the standard cable size for the battery/aux feed is 2.5mm, I fear the voltage drop will be too great to be able to sustain my fridge while underway and/or charge my house battery Hence why I'm looking at alternative solutions.

    The two options I'm considering at the moment are:-
    1. Run a new thicker cable from the DS battery to the S12 plug (or alternatively a dedicated Anderson plug) and then on to the caravan battery to reduce volt drop.
    2. Install a DC/DC charger in the caravan to restore a decent charging voltage. If I get one which also has a solar input this will work well with my next project which is to add solar.

    Any advice on the pros & cons of each approach, or suggestions of other approaches welcomed. Thanks.

  7. #7
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    Hi Mamil, adding a DC/DC device will not work unless you run heavier cable through your DS and caravan, to any form of proposed DC/DC device, or the DC/DC device will simply shut down because of the same voltage drop you already have with the very thin wiring setup as it is.


    So in reality, as you are going to have to rewire your setup in the first place, if you run 6B&S cabling (13.5mm2 ), for your house battery, you will not need any form of DC/DC device.


    Plus, by running 6B&S cabling, you will future proof your van to be able to add more battery capacity if you find you need more.


    There is also a major potential problem if you try to use any form of DC/DC device with a vehicle with STOP/START operation. Adding more batteries to a DC/DC setup just makes for more problems.


    While on the open road, with a DC/DC setup, all should be fine, but driving around town, where you may be stopping at traffic lights and the likes, every time you stop and your motor turns off, under normal use, your cranking battery will supply you your vehicle’s electrical needs until the motor starts again.


    During a normal STOP/START event, the motor will either start when you start to drive again, or if the cranking battery’s voltage drops to around 12.2v to 12.4v, at which point the motor is automatically restarted, to recharge the battery. NOTE the exact voltage level at which the motor is restarted varies from make and model of vehicle.


    Add a DC/DC device to the system, whether it be in the vehicle or in something being towed by that vehicle, because DC/DC device can continue to operate with input voltages as low as 9v, a DC/DC device, even a small one, is going to apply a HUGE additional current draw on the cranking battery, when ever a STOP/START event occurs.


    This will create a number of problems, the first being the obvious, such huge current draws placed on your cranking battery, while the motor is not running, will shorten you cranking battery’s lifespan.


    And because this huge current draw will discharge your cranking battery so much quickly, it will also cause the motor to be turning on more often, and this increases ware and tare on both the starter motor and the cranking battery, again further reducing the lifespan of the cranking battery.


    This also means the very reason for the motor turning off in STOP/START traffic conditions is defeated and fuel savings are lost.


    Alternatively, and one of the main reasons I am proceeding with the development of a dual battery system for both the DS and D5, with one of my isolators fitted, because my isolators keep all the batteries connected while the vehicle voltage is above 12.0v, in STOP/START events, the vehicle’s electrical needs are now met by a number of batteries, not just the cranking battery.


    This has a number of benefits like, by reducing the current load on the cranking battery, you will help to extend it’s lifespan, plus because the auxiliary and/or house battery are still connected to the cranking battery when the motor is started, they will also provide some of the energy required, to start the motor, again benefiting the cranking battery’s longevity.


    Also, because the vehicle’s electrical needs are being sheared during a STOP/START event, the combination of batteries will mean the voltage takes much longer to drop the the level that causes the motor to turn on automatically, this means the motor remains off much longer, thus improving your fuel consumption.


    Regardless of how long the motor is off for, when it does start, because the cranking battery is not continually discharged as low as it would normally need to be, and as all batteries are charged at the same time, your cranking battery will be charged in a shorter drive time, again, improving it’s longevity.


    So DC/DC devices will pose quite a few problems, but fitting one of my isolators is a win, win, win solution.

  8. #8
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    Hi Drivesafe, thanks for taking the time to explain all that. So it seems I was right that my first priority should be to upgrade the connection between the DS start battery and the caravan battery to larger wire. Would you suggest running it through the existing 12 pin socket to keep things neat, or installing a separate Anderson plug?

    After your comments about DC/DC chargers I think I'll hold off on that and see how the system does with just a better connection first.


    Interesting what you say about start/stop, I hadn't thought about that. Although I notice that in the DS workshop manual it says that S/S is disabled when a trailer connection is attached. This should prevent most of the problems, although at the same time prevent most of the benefits of having S/S. And I have to say that mine still seems to operate S/S even when I have a trailer attached, so perhaps the workshop manual is wrong on this point, or it's a modification to later models only. Anyway, I suppose I could just turn off S/S whenever I have the caravan attached to avoid damaging the start battery.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mamil View Post
    Interesting what you say about start/stop, I hadn't thought about that. Although I notice that in the DS workshop manual it says that S/S is disabled when a trailer connection is attached. This should prevent most of the problems, although at the same time prevent most of the benefits of having S/S. And I have to say that mine still seems to operate S/S even when I have a trailer attached, so perhaps the workshop manual is wrong on this point, or it's a modification to later models only. Anyway, I suppose I could just turn off S/S whenever I have the caravan attached to avoid damaging the start battery.
    Hi Mamil, I have not come across this myself, but I did read where someone overseas had tried to see if he could make up a dummy trailer plug so he could knockout the STOP/START as he hated it.


    He didn’t seem to have any luck finding it so I wonder how anyone can tell whether a vehicle is fitted with it or not?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    Hi Mamil, I have not come across this myself, but I did read where someone overseas had tried to see if he could make up a dummy trailer plug so he could knockout the STOP/START as he hated it.


    He didn’t seem to have any luck finding it so I wonder how anyone can tell whether a vehicle is fitted with it or not?
    I too hate the stop/ start. If anyone knows of a way to disable it, please let us know!

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