Dual Battery Systems (1 Viewer)

[Bogo]

Interesting comment about relative uselessnes for solar. Was hoping that I vould use 2 55 watt panels to charge during the day if I am not driving.

It is the small solar + battery units that are useless. A pair of 55 W roof mounted panels should recharge 30-45AH into your battery bank each sunny day. That will do LED lighting plus recharge camera batteries and some laptop time. The real issue is having enough roof space for more than minimal electrical use.

Average sunshine for various areas is different. The midwest where I am averages 3-4 hours a day. In the desert SW it is around 5-6 hours a day. Some parts of Africa and Australia average 6-7 hours a day. Note this is average. On a good sunny day I'll see an effective 6-7 hours of charging at full power. Even on mildly cloudy days they will put some charge into the batteries.

The first thing I'd do is put in a large battery bank with recharge ability from 120VAC and the regular engine alternator. Size it for 2-4 days electrical use. Then I'd stick in a high output alternator that can recharge 2-4 days use in 2 hours or less engine run time or I would install a solar array that can recharge 1.5-2 days use per day.

 

[GRM]

I looked at many options, and to make it easy on me, I bought this kit: 12VoltGuy.com: Dual Battery Kit with a custom panel for my center console.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Have you looked at the National Luna kit available through equipt off road?

 

[Corbet]

No personal experience but here is someone to contact

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/175892-national-luna-dual-battery-install.html

 

[jabxyz]

Have you looked at the National Luna kit available through equipt off road?

I have been looking at the various dual battery set-ups and just reviewed the materials on National Luna. It sounds simple enough but man is that an awful lot of responsibility to put on one piece of gear, that intelligent solenoid. I'd also like to know if anyone has any experience with them.

 

[HJ-45CrewCab]

I have been looking at the various dual battery set-ups and just reviewed the materials on National Luna. It sounds simple enough but man is that an awful lot of responsibility to put on one piece of gear, that intelligent solenoid. I'd also like to know if anyone has any experience with them.

I have the NL setup waiting to install next week, so no experience yet, but while I was researching, I found a lot of support for this kit on expedition sites in UK and South Africa. Enough good comments to make me confident in the product.

 

[jabxyz]

I have the NL setup waiting to install next week, so no experience yet, but while I was researching, I found a lot of support for this kit on expedition sites in UK and South Africa. Enough good comments to make me confident in the product.

That's interesting and good to hear. If you still have the links I'd sure like to see them and of course please keep me posted not just as to the install but on how it works out. I am curious when you were doing your research did you try to do a head to head to comparison between the different systems? What criterion did you use to make the call to go with NL?
Thanks.

 

[ianfotheringham]

this could be noobish....

so im putting in an ac/delco deep cycle through a simple isolator split between it and my starting battery [an ac/delco starting type] and off the deep cycle i plan on attaching my 25liter waeco fridge, music, lights and some other occasional use things....and in order to maximize charge times i plan on swapping the stock 35amp-ish fj45 alternator to a 90 amp - but my question is:

what do i need to do to protect my appliances from the high amp charges put out by the alternator while its charging?......

i honestly have very little idea on what im doing here - any tips greatly appreciated.....

 

[Bogo]

what do i need to do to protect my appliances from the high amp charges put out by the alternator while its charging?......

Nothing...

You may need to go to a larger wire between the alternator/charge controller and the battery, but that is it.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

what do i need to do to protect my appliances from the high amp charges put out by the alternator while its charging?......

Yup, nothing. A normally working appliance/circuit will draw only it's own demand, nothing more. This is what allows a dome light to be hooked up to the same charging system (batt and alt) that a winch/starter motor is, and survive.