 | Home > In Car Electronics > Aux Battery Setup help |
 
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| ChrisCM Member Since: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Cornwall uk Posts: 572   
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Sorry, don't know, I've never got to that state, everything has just kept working, but doing the maths I recon that if the engine was running and the starter battery was fully charged then it would take less than an hour, on Solar alone then it could take the best part of a couple of days depending on the size of panels/ sunshine etc. 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black. |
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29th Jul 2016 3:02pm |
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| Cold_n_Wet Member Since: 15 Oct 2012 Location: Bergen Posts: 244 
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As I posted on the other battery thread its possible to fit 2 x 100Ah batteries in the Defender box, you have to install the solenoid another place, unless you have very small hands.
I was stationary without Solar power at Bad Kissingen this year running an Engel 45 and a Icom 7200 (limited use - winlink) for 4 days. I will add a solar panel to the system next. I run the IBS charger, and it will handle the solar charge plus top up the main battery if the Aux is fully charged. I have seen a huge difference of opinion on the Ctek's some love it some hate it. Ive used National Luna / X-eng / Bluesea and now the IBS systems. They all work, some have more bells and whistles then others, so its just a question of does it do want you want? Being dependent on a system I would chose the best you can afford but even they best break down. We spent 8 days in the Central Kalahari with a defect charging system, it wasnt fun, but you get out of it. Edit - ive been trying to add pictures but they haven't appeared. Glen "Rafiki" 2007 110 STW - Rolling rebuild. |
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29th Jul 2016 3:06pm |
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| VeeTee Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1512 
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Just my 2 cnts, but it doesn't matter how fancy your batteries are or charging system is, if the charging capacity and charging time is not in accordance with the battery capacity it will not work. So if you have large batteries and lots of fancy stuff drawing amps, but if the alternator has not enough time (short drives) to charge and you do not use solar or wall charger, it will fail. I have a simple dual battery setup, a cheapish voltage sensity relay, wall charger and solar panels on the roof rack. When camping and if available, I use the wall charger to top up the batteries. The solar panels work all the time. I run a fridge and some led lights and computer from the 2nd battery. The winch runs from the starter battery, and is connected to the feed to the starter motor (with isolator switch). You don't want to draw that much amps through the vsr. As said above, the winch is only running short periods and only when the engine is running. This system is cheap, reliable and has never failed in years. In general how good a system is is more a function of how well and with thought it is used than how fancy or expensive it is. Just my 2 cnts ...   Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold) 1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold) 1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold) 1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold) 2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold) 2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold) MySite |
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29th Jul 2016 3:28pm |
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| tyrannosauROSS Member Since: 24 Jun 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 136 
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VeeTee... Im with you! Hence all the questions. I want to make sure its right and not just throw money at it and hope for the best.
Cold_n_Wet I shall now look at the IBS as another solution... out of curiosity... why have you ended up using the IBS? why not stick with the others? ChrisCM, Thanks... i intend to run a solar panel also so this hopefully will aid in my time needed between firing up the car or driving long distances. |
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29th Jul 2016 3:52pm |
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| Cold_n_Wet Member Since: 15 Oct 2012 Location: Bergen Posts: 244
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The feature to be able to top up the main battery from the solar, plus the charge management system from IBS made me choose that in the end (plus we sell them).
Having had a flat battery on the main side on the D3 once,mostly standing still for a week with another brand (lights on each time you open the door etc ) and the VSR opening when you start the engine and move it 15 feet caused to look other places. Yes you can argue it was poor battery management, but sometimes its not easy to have a strict regime in place with the family using the vehicle, and the 55 Ah optimal was run down fairly quick. The National Luna (we sell them too) solenoid is bigger than the IBS relay and the same with the blue sea (we dont sell them  ).
running 2 x 100 ah batteries there is little room in the battery box. The National Luna has some features like directing charge to the main battery after start up. I used the National Luna in my 06 TD5 with twin exide's but again they were around the 50 AH mark, and also experienced a flat main battery mid winter after being away for a few weeks. A solar trickle charger could have prevented this. Any relay will work, and if you are really strict a switch between batteries will also work. But do you want to spend time fussing over a set up or do you want to get on and enjoy the great outdoors. Just use a good size diameter cable between batteries, as when the relay or solenoid opens amps will flow. The latest train of thought out of South Africa is to use a standard car battery rather than a leisure / deep discharge battery for the Aux, as they reason that the regular car battery would charge quick then a leisure battery, whether this is true, I have no more information. I am now testing this theory using Sonnak 100AH as my aux battery. Batteries are consumables so if I change it a year earlier than a similar sized deep discharge / leisure battery I will bear that cost. As a side note again on cabling, over dimension, you never know what you will use in the future. For fun I measured the current flowing from my 1200W inverter running a 1000W hot air gun I was pulling 89 Amps, that did surprise me. The twin battery set up's are discussed up and down on all forums, and has been for years. From simple set ups to charged controlled management, there is not text book answer. Mine works for me, and im very happy with it. Some buy a £20 VSR on ebay and it works for them when they are away at weekends. Good luck and let us know what you choose. "Rafiki" 2007 110 STW - Rolling rebuild. |
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29th Jul 2016 5:00pm |
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| tyrannosauROSS Member Since: 24 Jun 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 136
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Cold_n_Wet....Is the IBS you are talking about the Brit Part branded one?
Please excuse my ignorance but you say "we sell them" who is "we" and do you have a website so I can look at the product you are happy with? Thanks.... This thread is helping me slowly! Ross |
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29th Jul 2016 5:16pm |
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| Cold_n_Wet Member Since: 15 Oct 2012 Location: Bergen Posts: 244
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We only sell in Norway, so you should check out a UK retailer for the IBS kit.
Im running the Britpart branded one at present, its similar to the IBS branded but has an older software on it. I will be upgrading to the IBS branded unit in a few weeks to get the latest software. "Rafiki" 2007 110 STW - Rolling rebuild. |
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29th Jul 2016 11:40pm |
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