Dual Battery set up questions... (1 Viewer)

[knoll0351]

So I recently installed a 2 meter ham radio in my cruiser and am looking to install a second battery so that I can leave it on as a repeater station without worrying about killing my “main” battery. From the electrical side it seems pretty straight forward and reasonably inexpensive. I’ve seen several battery isolators on the internet that look like they will allow the battery to charge without allowing my equipment to drain my “main” battery. Those that I’ve seen run around $50.00 to $80.00. Now my real question comes from what I’m seeing in “kits” ranging from three to five hundred not including the battery. They seem to have an isolator maybe a display gauge of some kind and some wire. Am I missing something?

 

[SR.GRINGO]

You might consider researching this a bit in the 80's section.

Also westmarine.com has a nice guide to read

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you, I've read a couple of threads on this but haven't found anything solid yet. If this troling doesn't work then I'll hit up the 80 section with a similar post as well as the electronics forum.

 

[Corey]

I have an install listed in my sig below for my rigs buildup.
I used the kit from Painless Wiring.

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you Corey that kit looks like what I've been seeing out there but the $170.00 is much more reasonable. That does lead me to think that the mark up really is just because they can... Now if you have accessories wired to your spare battery and they are on will it drain your main battery?

 

[BC_FJC]

I'm using the National Luna kit and am vary happy with it. I would also look at installing one of these Automatic Power Off Switch. I run most of my gear throw it before going to the second battery. When my battery gets to 11.8V everything gets turned off. My HF radio (50A load) is the only other devise that is directly connected to the second battery.

I have been vary pleased with this setup.

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you guy's for your input. BC_FJC it sounds like the automatic power off switch may solve my issue without needing to install a second battery. At this point the only thing I want to run is my 2 Meter and it should run on very little power for quite some time without draining my battery. Thank you.

That being said I will eventually switch to a dual battery and my question really isn't do the kits work, but do we need to spend that much money when it appears all that is needed is a battery issolator that runs around sixty bucks.

 

[BC_FJC]

That being said I will eventually switch to a dual battery and my question really isn't do the kits work, but do we need to spend that much money when it appears all that is needed is a battery issolator that runs around sixty bucks.

There are a lot of differences between the different methods, Yes a simple battery isolator will work but it in not very efficient and will not give you all the options that some of the other options can. Battery pairing is a nice option to have it will enable you to self jump start or combine your battery's for winching...

The other things to look at are the reliability of the components used.

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you BC that is what I have been trying to learn

 

[packer]

The winter '08 Overland journal had a really good article on dual battery setups. I think overall they went with a national luna kit (expensive), but on the budget side they went with the Xantrex Pathmaker. I still can't decide though.

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you, a friend of mine just got the National Luna for his 80. I'm looking forward to watching/helping with the install. That looks like the way to go, but it's so expensive and I can't figure out why if it's only a high speed low drag diode and a switch...