Thread: duel batteries

http://www.cmsquick.com/tech_03_batsel.html

Originally Posted by p38arover

You need them to work together, not fight!

batteries or banjos ?

Originally Posted by rijidij

When I bought my County there was already duel batteries in it. It is a simple system using a 4 way boat switch, which I have stuck with. It's mounted on the front of the seat box on the passenger side. You have manual control over your batteries and no electronic gizmos. Not that I don't like what gizmos are capable of, it's just a personal choice to keep things simple and reliable. This type of switch allows you to use either battery individually, both together, or turn them both off. I replaced the switch with a new one after 12 years, not that it failed, it just started to feel a bit loose in the contacts from use.

Cheers, Murray

ps. can anyone tell me what the 2 small contacts on the back of the switch are for.....the word 'field' is indicated next to them. Thanks.

Personally i think this is the best way to go. Simple and has a few advantages, the only disadvantage is YOU.
I don’t like deep cycle batteries, expensive and usually you cant start your motor with them.

Originally Posted by clean32

Personally i think this is the best way to go. Simple and has a few advantages, the only disadvantage is YOU.
I don’t like deep cycle batteries, expensive and usually you cant start your motor with them.

I've never forgotten to switch the batteries off long enough to drain both of them at the same time. It's become a habbit whenever we stop somewhere.
I have 2 deep cycle batteries which would take a bloody long time to run flat anyway. And no they are not cheap, but they're the newer type that you can start off......an Optima yellow and an Exide Orbital. Either of these will start my 3.9 Isuzu, but I always start with both unless I've run one pretty low on the fridge etc. Combined, you've got about 1500 CCA.

Cheers, Murray

Originally Posted by rijidij

I've never forgotten to switch the batteries off long enough to drain both of them at the same time. It's become a habbit whenever we stop somewhere.
I have 2 deep cycle batteries which would take a bloody long time to run flat anyway. And no they are not cheap, but they're the newer type that you can start off......an Optima yellow and an Exide Orbital. Either of these will start my 3.9 Isuzu, but I always start with both unless I've run one pretty low on the fridge etc. Combined, you've got about 1500 CCA.

Cheers, Murray

Interesting, I never thought you could start, or that you would damage the batteries with a high starting drain. I never have mine on both, the act of one balancing out the other could do some damage as well. So I never have it on both. But I like the idea of having 2 batteries if one stuffs up for starting. I am also lucky that I have 3 large solar panels on the roof, they are a god send really but a bit had on the wind drag.

cheers thanks for all the info will hopefully have it set up shortly will probably go the pirrahana setup,might take a while need a gearbox fitout or reco one just to break the bank

Originally Posted by clean32

Interesting, I never thought you could start, or that you would damage the batteries with a high starting drain. I never have mine on both, the act of one balancing out the other could do some damage as well. So I never have it on both. But I like the idea of having 2 batteries if one stuffs up for starting. I am also lucky that I have 3 large solar panels on the roof, they are a god send really but a bit had on the wind drag.

i have a similar one fitted, i leave it connected to both all the time, i have 1 x start battery and 2 x 100 amp/hr deep cycle batteries

i have forgotten a couple of time two switch back.........normally remember as i'm driving along

ok this has got me all intrested

With the marine fitting, as I understand it.

When on both, is ok if both batteries have the same charge.
If the batteries have unequal charge, by putting it on both the batteries will want to Balance, IE the battery with the higher charge will discharge in to the lower charged battery, they will Balance. The down side of this is that the charging will happen at greater amperage than the lower battery can accept safely, IE you will stuff one or both batteries.

What we do is drive around on one battery to charge, when charged change to the other battery. All systems and the car run on the one battery, until I change it over then we run on the other.

These automatic systems I am uncomfortable with because. Even if the main battery is isolated from the ancillary systems, what happens if the main battery decides to die in the middle of nowhere? Charging the second battery is charged though another control box, these ( when I was looking into it) are quite slow chargers. at the moment we can top up a charge in a few hours driving but with some of these charging systems you would need to drive a bit longer.

The cheaper normal ( quality) car battery) are only % less in capacity IE I have 2 120AH batteries I think its a bit to complicated and risky just for the benefits of 120 + 160 AH batteries for example.

Any way I have the solar as well which helps out a lot, its on all the time, driving or not.

Just my thoughts but i am no expert