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Moo



Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: Bath
Posts: 1016

Ukraine 
Anyone fitted a split charge dual battery
Just wondering if anyone has done this and with what kit?
Post #979798 25th Jan 2023 9:24pm
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Lightwater



Member Since: 28 Jun 2020
Location: Sydney NB
Posts: 61

Australia 
On my Freelander I have used two (as many as you like in parallel) Victron DC-DC chargers via auxiliary circuit to charge 4 x 26AH gel batteries (that all I could fit around the car). Mainly to run my 28L fridge which I use all the time (15AH per 24 hours). Visitor - Freelander owner
Post #981020 2nd Feb 2023 8:30pm
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Moo



Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: Bath
Posts: 1016

Ukraine 
Thanks. I was hoping someone had done it the new Defender and had a 'how to' guide. I too want it to run my fridge, although I might have to get a smaller one than my 55L !
Post #981031 2nd Feb 2023 9:20pm
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Lightwater



Member Since: 28 Jun 2020
Location: Sydney NB
Posts: 61

Australia 
Due to lack of feedback it looks like Defenders are bought purely for school runs & tackling shopping centre traffic calming devices!

I have no idea of the layout of the Defender, but here is a link to a far bit of data in one place, on fridge performance.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t650...tage-test/

As far as DC-DC chargers. I have the pre Victron smart chargers. If I was setting up now I would use the new smart charger. You can parallel 10 of these together.

The only real issue is stuffing a battery/s in the car. With the Freelander it is hopeless. I have two 26AH under one seat. Would have put the other two under the driver's seat but I have 2 of our 3 ARB compressors there. Swings & roundabouts in the Freelander. Actual wiring is not difficult to run accessories off auxiliary batteries is not difficult. Have four 26AH batteries we can jumpstart ourselves. 1040 amps for 5 seconds or 360 amps for 5 minutes. Our 2.0L petrol engine's starter motor requires 238amps according to DC clamp meter.

At the end of the day adding insulation to the fridge is more cost & weight effective than larger batteries. Also decent gauge wiring. I have rewired our fridge from 16awg to 12awg to reduce resistance. In general all our fridge & solar wiring is a minimum of 6awg.



We can even use our 26AH batteries as a portable battery if needed. Visitor - Freelander owner
Post #981174 3rd Feb 2023 11:21pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2545

Scotland 
Or just no one on this forum has done it yet Rolling Eyes

There’s loads on the Facebook groups about it. DC-DC chargers and lithium batteries, usually installed in the space under the rear door.
Post #981292 4th Feb 2023 11:09pm
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Lightwater



Member Since: 28 Jun 2020
Location: Sydney NB
Posts: 61

Australia 
The number of the new Defenders on Sydney Northern Beaches with all the gadgets I find it hard to believe that you guys haven't got dual battery/s. It is very basic to set up. If you can't fit in one large battery, use a number of smaller ones. Gel batteries are a bit more expensive but they have their advantages & don't have the expense of quality lithium or the money down the drain of so called cheap lithium.

I have wired up 175 Anderson plugs at either end to jump start myself, which has made life a lot easier to jumpstart the roughly 20 cars in our street alone... frightening stuff the incompetence of car owners. Also plugged a few tyres & towed a truck with 3 tonnes of roof tiles.

Everyone seems to know I have jumpers leads, tow rope & tyre plugs!

Other half wanted a Defender, so did I, but due to the 1950s garage in our building & lack of On Street Parking (100 spaces too few according to council, & very recently street parking fee even if you are a resident) we got a Freelander which due to my weight does just get under the garage door after straightening the roof rack cross bars. Can only open the driver's door to the first notch.

If you are running a fridge & charging phones, camera & torches, gel batteries stuffed around the car work well.

I have 2 DC-DC 9 amp chargers & MPPT 100/20 (75/10 as redundancy) in the car. On the garage wall 10 & 30 amp chargers. All Victron & mostly Bluetooth which can be handy to check data. Visitor - Freelander owner
Post #981297 4th Feb 2023 11:48pm
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Moo



Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: Bath
Posts: 1016

Ukraine 
Thanks. I didn't think of FB. I'll have a look.
Post #981298 4th Feb 2023 11:49pm
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BruceT



Member Since: 01 Nov 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 516

South Africa 
sorry just seen this thread now.

I fitted a National Luna

DC to DC charger and aux battery in my rear boot well/under the floor. I have solar input and a socket to plug in the trailer for charging the batteries in the trailer. My fridge and some aux lights run off of the aux battery which if it goes totally flat it will not affect the starting battery.

Click image to enlarge
 "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce
11MY Defender 130
23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA


Last edited by BruceT on 22nd Apr 2023 7:57am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #989818 21st Apr 2023 2:35pm
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hopalong



Member Since: 15 Nov 2020
Location: ade
Posts: 14

Australia 
we have a scout 280 ah lithium fitted for the fridge and cpap ect .we also fitted a water tank next to it. all this is under the floor in the rear of the car we lifted the floor about 40 mm to get it all in. the battery has been in for 12 months and seems to work well.All the work was done by PCB independent land rover in Adelaide so i cant answer many technical questions.We have an Enerdrive dctodc control gear.
Post #989864 22nd Apr 2023 2:44am
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BruceT



Member Since: 01 Nov 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 516

South Africa 
sorry if a bit off topic but could you please send me details on the water tank. This is something I have been trying to do but haven't found a suitable tank. With my system I have probably enough space for a 30 or 40ltr tank if it's shaped correctly.

Thank you "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce
11MY Defender 130
23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA
Post #989881 22nd Apr 2023 7:59am
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hopalong



Member Since: 15 Nov 2020
Location: ade
Posts: 14

Australia 
Bruce
we had the tank fabricated (s/s) to suit the space available approx 55 liters Sorry i don,t have more information. that was organized by pcb land rover who did the installation.
Post #989888 22nd Apr 2023 8:26am
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BruceT



Member Since: 01 Nov 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 516

South Africa 
brilliant thank you "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce
11MY Defender 130
23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA
Post #990132 24th Apr 2023 8:10am
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JackW



Member Since: 10 Jan 2017
Location: Roswell, Georgia
Posts: 110

United States 1998 Defender 90 300 Tdi SW Coniston Green
I'm planning on installing a dual battery system in my P300 over the next few weeks. I'm using a size 31 AGM battery, A Redarc BCDC1225D battery controller, a Redarc SBI1212 isolator switch and a few fuses (100A and 40A) to protect the electrical components. I'm building a tray that will bolt down to the third row seat mounts under the rear floor to hold the battery, charge components, the jack, recovery gear and a plug in air compressor for inflating tires along with a small tool roll. Since the P300 doesn't have the MHEV system there is a lot of room under the rear deck floor. I've seen the "Low Battery - Start Car" warning a few times so I don't want to get stranded somewhere.
Post #1011966 20th Oct 2023 9:30pm
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Moo



Member Since: 01 Oct 2021
Location: Bath
Posts: 1016

Ukraine 
Sounds good. Would you mind posting with photos what you did and how you did it? Eiger Grey MY23 D250 SE with bits. Known as Noddy.
Post #1011988 21st Oct 2023 10:43am
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JackW



Member Since: 10 Jan 2017
Location: Roswell, Georgia
Posts: 110

United States 1998 Defender 90 300 Tdi SW Coniston Green
Here is the progress so far - fabricating the brackets to hold the 3/4" square steel tubing support bars for a 1/2" baltic birch plywood platform. I will probably have to create a drop down "well" for the big battery I have chosen - its taller than a 24 size battery. I will create some longitudinal compartments on the base platform to hold "stuff" like the jack(s), recovery gear, tool roll and air pump. I need to weld these together and cut the plywood base before I can start figuring out where to locate the different compartments. I'm using the mounting points for the third row seats to hang everything from.



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Post #1012064 22nd Oct 2023 2:22am
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