↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > Expedition & Overland > Fridge Battery protection
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 1
Print this entire topic · 
ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
Fridge Battery protection
Hi,

Can one of our auto electrical experts advise.

I have been looking at a Fridge Freezer for my Defender. Most of the "better" models offer battery protection in that they will switch off when the battery reaches a pre-set low voltage, some as low as 9.6V! which will no doubt kill a service battery in no time!

If I run the fridge off my main service battery what is the lowest voltage at which the battery will still start the engine?

I appreciate that the ideal solution is to use a split charge dual battery set up but financially, after the fridge, this is not viable!

I do have a 100Ah leisure battery which I can use at camp, topped up with an 80W solar panel with MPPT regulator.

Thanks

Chris 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black.
Post #403639 2nd Mar 2015 12:56pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
100% charged 12.7
75% 12.4
50% 12.2
25% 12.0
flat 11.9
roughly

so guessing if everythings right and car starts well then you really wouldn't want to go below 12.2

split charging doesn't have to be expensive , durite 140a split charge relay is about 40 quid
Post #403645 2nd Mar 2015 1:16pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
Hi Munch90,

This is more or less what I thought, I suppose the settings are designed for a deep cycle battery?

Re the split charge, I know the relays are not too expensive, it's all the other bits and pieces to do it properly, new batteries and battery tray to fit inside the seat box etc. what I may do is put a spli charge relay in then run the cable to the rear to the temporary leisure battery in the back.

Chris 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black.
Post #403674 2nd Mar 2015 2:26pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Force64



Member Since: 02 Jan 2014
Location: Gatwick
Posts: 196

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Tonga Green
I'm thinking of one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURITE-Ready-Mad...2ed581c63b

Beware of cheaper ones that use lower ampage cable.

Andy Defender Td5 XS90
Post #403676 2nd Mar 2015 2:37pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
ChrisCM wrote:
Hi Munch90,

This is more or less what I thought, I suppose the settings are designed for a deep cycle battery?

Re the split charge, I know the relays are not too expensive, it's all the other bits and pieces to do it properly, new batteries and battery tray to fit inside the seat box etc. what I may do is put a spli charge relay in then run the cable to the rear to the temporary leisure battery in the back.

Chris


COUPLE OF SAFETY ISSUES WHEN DOING THAT

1: SECURE BATTERY ( strap it in )
2: IN A PROPER BATTERY BOX ( cheap to buy )
3: BATTERY BOX NEEDS VENTING TO OUTSIDE ( small vent hose normally like a bit of screen washer pipe , but needs access to outside of cabin )
Post #403681 2nd Mar 2015 2:51pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Difficult to gauge as when a battery gets older it is it's capacitive ability that will reduce. In layman's terms an older battery may still indicate that it is fully charged but you will not be able to get as many engine cranks out of it in comparison to a new one. It is not the voltage level that purely determines how good a battery is or how low you can go to be able to still start the vehicle. Split charge is as stated the best way to go. To test the capacitive ability of a battery you normally use a tester that you reduce the resistance on across the terminals to place a load of three times the rating of the battery for a short predetermined time. A rule within the civilian marine industry I work in dictates irrespective of condition batteries are replaced after 5 years as the failure after this is likely to be instantaneous and not gradual. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #403693 2nd Mar 2015 3:45pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
my 500amp battery carbon pile tester when testing a battery use a load of half cca or 3 times the ah for 15secs

quite agree about the age of batteries and capitity
Post #403700 2nd Mar 2015 4:26pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Sounds like a similar tester to the one I use. We have 12 batteries on the bridge I test annually. When testing in close succession the tester gets quite hot and it smells like I'm making toast.
Rolling with laughter
Good excuse to go for a cuppa after testing three or four at a time to allow it to cool down a little. Whistle If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #403703 2nd Mar 2015 4:43pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
CDN38



Member Since: 14 Nov 2014
Location: Courtenay, BC
Posts: 729

Canada 2000 Defender 110 Td5 SW Bonatti Grey
Post #405487 8th Mar 2015 3:45am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
HansT



Member Since: 25 Dec 2012
Location: Mariefred
Posts: 173

Sweden 2004 Defender 110 Td5 SW Belize Green
Force64 wrote:
I'm thinking of one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURITE-Ready-Mad...2ed581c63b

Beware of cheaper ones that use lower ampage cable.

Andy


This is just about the same setup that I have used and it works fine.

/Hans


Click image to enlarge
Post #405765 8th Mar 2015 9:17pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
Hi Guys,

Got my fridge, an ARB 35L, (check out Flatdog for great prices and service) and the battery box, I now have to secure them in the back of the 110SW, I have removed the 2 rear seats, and intend to instal a reinforced ply sheet to bridge the wheel arch boxes and then fix tie downs on this, the ply sheet will be secured to the vehicle utilising the existing tie downs (I don't want to drill any holes in the vehicle if I can avoid it). I can vent the battery box out of one of the rear seat bolt holes.

So much for the carpentry, now the electrics, anyone have any experience of the CETEK dc-dc charger?, expensive but it allows easy connection of a solar panel or can I just connect the solar charge regulator in parallel with the cable from the split charge relay? I suppose a large enough diode would prevent current flow back to the solar regulator.

Chris 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black.
Post #405961 9th Mar 2015 1:51pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Post Reply
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT + 1 Hour

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums