Hdj81 and Solar - third battery necessary? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Threads
12
Messages
73
Location
Atlanta
Hello all.

Unfortunately my cruiser has been parked a little more than I wanted this year and the battery’s have been going flat between cranks (about a month).

So I figured why not throw a couple Solar panels up top to keep everything topped off.

Renogy was running a sale on this kit so I decided to pick one up.


My main question is, why do most people run a 3rd battery if the point of the panels are to keep you topped off? Since the OEM dual batteries are in parallel they’ll both charge equally correct?
 
My main question is, why do most people run a 3rd battery if the point of the panels are to keep you topped off? Since the OEM dual batteries are in parallel they’ll both charge equally correct?
PoU - philosophy of use.
Keeping crank batts topped off is different from regen'ing a cabin batt w/o using fuel to do so.

One of those panels will keep crank batts topped.
If you base camp for days at a time, both panels will keep a cabin batt (3rd batt) refreshed w/o having to crank the truck (burn fuel) to spin the alternator to refresh the cabin batt.
edit:x2 for 24v
 
Last edited:
PoU - philosophy of use.
Keeping crank batts topped off is different from regen'ing a cabin batt w/o using fuel to do so.

One of those panels will keep crank batts topped.
If you base camp for days at a time, both panels will keep a cabin batt (3rd batt) refreshed w/o having to crank the truck (burn fuel) to spin the alternator to refresh the cabin batt.
The longest I will be out is generally 2-3 days. I just run a fridge and that’s it.

Kinda seems like I should just see how this goes and evaluate the third battery.

What prompted the whole Solar setup was that a NOCO 70 lithium Pack wouldn’t jump the truck. Maybe that’s got to do with the 24v starting system. I thought those things could jump just about anything.
 
Ok, well just a fridge is fine on 24v imo.
Lights and/or high current applications in addition to would qualify for 3rd batt application.
And yeah, you need a 24v-specific pack for jump starting. That '70' could be '35' @24V.
 
Last edited:
I'd suggest a trickle charger to keep your cranking battery (or batteries) topped off between use.

To your main question, you could also consider doing a 12v conversion for the starter. Everything else in the truck is 12v and it may open up options with one dedicated cranking battery and the other for accessories.
 
I did the 12 volt conversion around 9 or 10 years ago. I must have a fridge.

My setup is as follows:

2 X 12 volt Marine batteries, they are a dual purpose start/house batteries, more expensive but will tolerate discharges with ease.
a 500 amp VSR.
I have also purchase three solar panels 2 x 4.5 amps and 1 x 2 amps and of course a decent regulator, you will have to look through my long running thread for the make and models of this stuff, but it is nothing but the best in my opinion, a dual battery monitor would be good as well, DO NOT purchase the all in one VSR/monitor, you may well regret it!

So when the car is not in use and it is in the garage, a plug coming through the wall is connected to the small 2...ish amp solar panel on the garage roof, once the 80 is reversed into the garage the plug from the panel is connected to the waterproof socket in the back bumper, I was careful to make sure the bumper socket and the hole where the panel plug comes through that they align pretty good, and taking care with the panel plug fitment to the cable I bound it with tape for additional strain relief, this was in case I forgot about the plug and drove out of the garage, the plug simply pulls free from bumper socket.

When camping I have a roof rack with one of the large panels on sliders, I park up and pull the panel out and press a button on the power distribution panel I built myself (this is all easy stuff), this would keep the batteries topped up, I also take the other large panel and store it under the fridge with a long roaming cable that also plugs into the back bumper, I rarely use it but if camping under a tree for shade for example, you need to have enough cable to put the panel in the sun, also useful on dull days.

The two panels I take with me are wired in parallel this doubles the amperage, in series the solar control will 'fire up earlier' but the amperage remains the same, you need to consider your location before making your choice.

Check out how much the running amperage of your fridge when running, remember this is normally only a few minutes per hour depending on how often you open it (store drinks/food in a clever way), and of course the outside temperature.

My system works for me and has done for many years, check out my thread and have a root through: Builds - My LC 80 thread. - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/my-lc-80-thread.365673/page-34#post-14462262

Regards

Dave
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom