Budget Dual Battery System

[Dave 2000]

I finished mine last month using the Blue seas relay which apart from charging also has the start function. A simple click of a switch and the batteries parallel so I can jump start myself. I also fitted the NL dual battery monitor to keep an eye on things. The blues seas switch is left on 'AUTO' and it really is fit and forget, glad to see you used a decent marine quality switch, nice and reliable.

regards

Dave

 

[Bjohnston115]

this is one of my next projects...


ps..


250 + club on this post!

 

[Dave 2000]

I used one of these for mine, part # is 7622 with 12v and manual control, even if the battery that powers the latch fails you can open the bonnet and press down the yellow button and parallel the batteries......simples!

ML-Series Automatic Charging Relays (Magnetic Latch) - PN - Blue Sea Systems

regards

Dave

 

[Otamiway]

Good information guys.. I came across a Painless Setup a while back but not sure if anyone tried it.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/457646-digital-battery-manager.html

Its about $180

 

[Tapage]

Bluesea have really great options .. that 7622 sounds really good much more the amp rating and the parallel posibility ...

 

[Dave 2000]

Bluesea have really great options .. that 7622 sounds really good much more the amp rating and the parallel posibility ...

I thought that when I researched it, very robust heavy unit, real solid connections ect, and of course marine quality. Although I have only had the unit fitted for three weeks it is doing 'just as it say's on the tin'. A lot of relays consume power (albeit a small amount) to hold a relay in this unit uses a very time amount to monitor and a momentary 40ma to change state. Even with my alarm armed all night AND the NL dual monitor LED's on along with it, the two batteries are still paralled in the morning, brilliant, this would indicate very very little parasitic draw.


regards

Dave

 

[The Jade Bean]

First off that was a-lot to read, but worth it! I've been mulling the dual battery set-up around in my head for awhile. This seems great when added with some of the suggestions from the other posts....Might have to move this up the priority list!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tapage]

another great option ..

http://www.amazon.com/PAC-PAC-500-500-Amp-Battery-Isolator/dp/B001YIPXR2/?tag=ihco-20

 

[shack]

another great option ..

http://www.amazon.com/PAC-PAC-500-50...sim_sbs_auto_6

Have another link? Doesn't seem to be working.

 

[The Jade Bean]

Have another link? Doesn't seem to be working.

You have to click on post first, once it moves to the separate screen then click on the link and it should work.

 

[Tapage]

Have another link? Doesn't seem to be working.

it works for me .. same in eBay

PAC-500 PAC500 High Current Battery Isolator + Relay BRAND NEW IN BOX | eBay

 

[CycloSteve]

OK finally finished up my "over budget" installation, including plumbing the electrics to the rear PS panel for the "Household" circuits. With the 2nd battery, I opted for an 80 amp BlueSea circuit breaker to protect the rear, plus ran 6ga marine-grade wires (both pos and neg)all the way to the rear. For now I have the OEM battery in the 2nd position, and a new DieHard Group 31 Platinum as the main.

Here are a few shots of the final results, including my HAM install. This was a very long-term project, actually started at least 18 months ago when I aquired the battery box. The next step is to add my 300 watt pure sinewave inverter into the rear of the truck.



Steve

For more info on my HAM setup see...https://forum.ih8mud.com/electronic-toys/537936-yaesu-ft-8900-overhead-console-installation-fzj80.html

Main battery and switch for the winch

Second battery - OEM for now, deep-cycle DieHard once this one dies

BlueSea 80A Circuit breaker mounted to PS fenderwell

Rear Fuse Panel

 

[The Jade Bean]

Very cool... Inspiration for the rest of us. Was the HAM radio test hard/expensive? Thx!

 

[CycloSteve]

Very cool... Inspiration for the rest of us. Was the HAM radio test hard/expensive? Thx!

With the Ham Technician licensure, I studied for about two weeks listening to Podclasses, plus reading materials downloaded online, and a book from Gordon West.

All said, the Podclasses and online freebies helped me more than the $25 book. I also used some of the online testing tools (again free) to keep testing myself, and help gauge when I had my knowledgebase.

The test itself is only 35 multiple-choice out of a known pool of questions. You can get all of the questions and answers in advance to help study. No more Morse Code (CW) for any of the license classes.

If you have some common sense, can remember a few rules and frequencies, and can work through some simple math you can get your ticket. The is going to go for it sometime early next year, and she is not a techie for sure.

The cost of the license itself is a whopping $15 for a ten year license. Well worth the money and time.

Plenty of threads in the Electronic Toys forum.

/hijack off/



Steve

 

[The Jade Bean]

With the Ham Technician licensure, I studied for about two weeks listening to Podclasses, plus reading materials downloaded online, and a book from Gordon West.

All said, the Podclasses and online freebies helped me more than the $25 book. I also used some of the online testing tools (again free) to keep testing myself, and help gauge when I had my knowledgebase.

The test itself is only 35 multiple-choice out of a known pool of questions. You can get all of the questions and answers in advance to help study. No more Morse Code (CW) for any of the license classes.

If you have some common sense, can remember a few rules and frequencies, and can work through some simple math you can get your ticket. The is going to go for it sometime early next year, and she is not a techie for sure.

The cost of the license itself is a whopping $15 for a ten year license. Well worth the money and time.

Plenty of threads in the Electronic Toys forum.

/hijack off/



Steve

Gonna go for it I think, thanks for the info!

 

[Tapage]

which it's the correct name for those black sleeves at the connector ?

 

[CycloSteve]

which it's the correct name for those black sleeves at the connector ?

Shrink tube, which I buy in bulk!



Steve

 

[jdogg]

Gonna go for it I think, thanks for the info!

With the Ham Technician licensure, I studied for about two weeks listening to Podclasses, plus reading materials downloaded online, and a book from Gordon West.

All said, the Podclasses and online freebies helped me more than the $25 book. I also used some of the online testing tools (again free) to keep testing myself, and help gauge when I had my knowledgebase.

The test itself is only 35 multiple-choice out of a known pool of questions. You can get all of the questions and answers in advance to help study. No more Morse Code (CW) for any of the license classes.

If you have some common sense, can remember a few rules and frequencies, and can work through some simple math you can get your ticket. The is going to go for it sometime early next year, and she is not a techie for sure.

The cost of the license itself is a whopping $15 for a ten year license. Well worth the money and time.

Plenty of threads in the Electronic Toys forum.

/hijack off/



Steve

Much easier than it was 18 years ago when i got mine. there is a HUGE amount of free, online stuff now to help. My hang-up was the morse code part, that was brutal.
KA1ZWO, jdogg.

 

[pkelly72]

So I FINALLY got this installed but I have a few questions.

1. Should I run a large fuse? If so what AMP? 150?
2. Has anyone with this system actually made it so you could start using the second battery? If so, what parts did you use?

 

[CycloSteve]

The fuse I put inline between the main and second battery is 100A. I wanted it to blow before it had caused any issues with the 2nd. My thought on this is that the second battery is just to be charged from the cables coming from the main, and that the charging setup was rated to only 120A. I am not placing any high load items on the second battery, as it will only be for household / camping circuits. On the supply-side I went with a 80A circuit breaker so I can also manually shut off the rear in an instant.

There is a setup with BlueSea which allows you to flip a switch and voila, use the second to start the rig. It comes as part of this system, but I am sure you can just get the switch.

I thought about going that route, but instead I think I will be setting up a dedicated plug for some cables so that I can jump not only my rig from the second battery, but also any other vehicle within reach. A bit more utility.

Steve