Thread: Charging batteries with a generator

Hi adam, to monitor the battery(s) with any realistic accuracy, you need something like an Xantrex battery monitoring system and you are looking at a starting price of around $500. Usually not a valid expense.

Now, as to the set-up that best meets your requirements, well that can be compered to the old saying “ How long is a piece of string “.

Now if you have an idea as to how you will be using the set-up and you have posted some details, then you can design the set-up around your needs.

The following would be how I would set up your power storage and charging system.

Fit an SC80 ( got to get a plug in ) under the bonnet, connected to the positive terminal of the cranking battery.

Fit a 50 amp circuit to the output of the SC80, then run at least 10mm2 twin cable from the circuit breaker to the battery in the rear of the disco.

At the rear battery, fit a 30 amp circuit breaker to the rear battery’s positive terminal and connect the twin cable’s red cable to the other side of the circuit breaker.

Now run another length of 10mm2 twin cable from the circuit breaker at the rear battery, to a 50 amp Anderson plug mounted near the trail plug.

On the trailer, fit another 30 amp Anderson plug to a length of 10mm2 twin cable and fix it to the trail to allow it to plug into the 50 amp Anderson plug on the back of the disco.

Run this twin cable into where you have your trailer’s battery mounted. Again, fit a 30 amp circuit breaker to the trailer battery’s positive terminal and connect the twin cable’s red cable to the other side of the circuit breaker.

You can connect any 12 volt accessories, via fuses, to the cable side of the circuit breaker in the rear of the disco and in the trailer.

If you have a 50 A/H battery in the rear of the disco and fit a 100 A/H battery in the trailer, using the SC80 will give 4 to 5 days operation before you need to start the disco to charge up the batteries and this is only taking the batteries down to 50%. If you don’t mind taking the rear battery and trailer battery down further, you can get another 1 or 2 days use before you have to charge all the batteries up and you will need to drive for at least 5 hours to get the bulk of the power ( 80% to 90% ) back into the batteries.

Not including the cost of the batteries, this set-up will cost you less that $300 to fit and will not need any special charging or the need for battery chargers, generators or solar panels, to be able to go for up to 8 days before charging is needed.

Best of all, this is a fit and forget system, the very thing most people want.

Cheers.

Done and done!

See, I might argue with everyone, but if someone who i know knows what they are talking about, tells me what to do, I do listen.

I don't mind you plugging your stuff at all, and I would love to hear more. I already have a dual battery controller (will post up what brand as soon as my wife gets back with the Disco), but it is in the back of the Disco with the second battery....is this a problem and What makes the SC80 better? (I'm sure it is better but just wondering the differences).

I already have 10mm2 cable running from the front battery to the controler in the rear, but no circuit breaker. I also think that I have just realised why I have never been happy with the charging of the rear battery........I ran a 10mm2 wire between the positives but just ran a 10mm2 cable from the negative to the chassis.....I should have run it back to the front battery shouldn't I???


Thankyou again, I do appreciate the help you give. I will let you know the brand of battery controller I have and if you don't think it is up to the job then I will buy an SC80. I also have an Arrid voltage booster inline just before the second battery but if I run a negative back to the front battery then this is probably not necessary.

Hi Adam, here’s a diagram of a set-up that would suit your vehicle.

Thankyou. When I get it bit closer to the electrics I will order an SC80. Is there a distributor in Melbourne or is it better to order directly through you?

Also, the rear 2 batteries will be joined at all times (when Anderson Plug is in) is this a problem if the batteries are of different size or age?

Mr Walker, my 2 cents, we camp for long periods when we go places most of the time, i have a 75AH deepcycle in the camper for running exactly what you do lights and water pump.

we have 3 Nelson lights that are used alot, one is used as a around the camp fire light, and we also use a laptop to watch DVDs sometimes as well, now to my point we have a small 10 watt solar panel (no regulator required with this size) that puts out around .8 to 1 amp and is used to top up the battery during the day when we are off driving, the 12v fridge is in the car so there's no drain on the battery during the day, as well we have a 3way fridge which is on gas when camped, we have camped for 10 days and have never flattened the battery as yet, if you only have the one fridge then you really don't need to have it hooked up to the camper just leave it in the car seeing as you have a dual battery setup in it.

I'm not a big fan of gennies mostly because it's another thing you have to carry and more fuel you need as well, not to mention the bloody noise they make too, and the abuse some get because of them.

Anyway that's us, not alot of money to setup like us and it's simple too, treebruiser has almost the same setup except he has 2 Trojan AGM deepcycles setup via drivesafes SC80 Traxide unit as he has a 12v fridge in the camper as well as in the car, i think he can go for around 6 days before recharging, i think he's looking at getting a solar panel to top up during the day too.

To me this is the cheapest and most simple setup i know, tie it in with the Traxide and it's even better

Hope this helps

Baz.

First off Adam, exactly what Baz said. Thanks RED.

Next, buy direct from me as I give all AULRO members a 10% discount.

Also, take your time because I have had so many enquires from a number of sites about info on a standard basic set-up that I have done this diagram to coincide with a Kit that I should have ready soon.

Any ideas on adjusting or adding to the above diagram will be appreciated.

Cheers.

If you had 2 100A/h batteries linked in parrallel in the trailer would the setup be the same.....ie you would use the same size c/b or larger?

Also, the question I asked before, is there any problem if the 2nd battery in the car is different and older than a new battery I would put in the trailer?

Oh, and also, is it ok if the SC80 is mounted fust before the 2nd battery in the rear of the car rather than under the bonnet?

Hi Adam, First last. You can mount the SC80 near your rear battery but just make sure you have the circuit breakers in place at each battery for safety.

If you already have 10mm2 cable fitted, it will work fine but will reduce the charging current, but this is only a problem if the trailer batteries are VERY low when you start driving and even then, all it will do is extend the charging time, again only if the batteries are very low.

To date, I have never had a problem with any of my systems that was related to the use of different types and ages of batteries, so you shouldn’t either.

Cheers.

PS, if you are planning to run new cable then go for something like 16mm2.