dual/multi battery system

Hi guys, after some help designing a system for my Ranger and trying to make it versatile!

The basic system is easy, original car battery, redarc (probably1220) charger, and a 80ah AGM auxiliary battery. This may occasionaly be used with solar, but that should be fine through the solar panels own regulator. What I am thinking is that sometimes I will want to leave the camp trhere, and use the ute to go farther afield prospecting, so I want to add a "stand alone" system for the camp. What I think I need is another redarc charger (probably 1240) boxed with a 120ah agm battery so that will run off solar, and/or be toppped up from a genny, with a 12v supply (from somewhere!) when this 'removable' unit is back in the ute.

Anybody got this? or is there an easier way of achieving it?

any help greatly appreciated
Nigel

Check out the ArkPak: http://www.arkcorp.com.au/p/3424/arkpak-730
That's what I use.

This has worked for me for many, many years, always had a full battery by lunchtime, charging batteries and running a fridge.
Keep it simple.

Have used my home built "box of tricks" for years, every year a few modifications.
With help from a learned friend the 2016 mods will be completed before this season.
The box is stored in my shed connected to a battery during the off season to keep radios and GPX batteries topped up every month or so.
While prospecting the box is connected to a separate battery that is charged by vehicle while travelling, solar (one fixed on ute + portable when required) while stationary.
Simple 12V solenoid disconnects battery from ute electrics when ignition is off.

I have a setup similar to what your looking at doing.

Ive got a 100ah 2nd battery in the back of my navara, Ctek d250s dual charger, which handles the charging of the 2nd batter and does the solar input.
I've got 2 x 100w solar panels that live in the back of the navara. The solar panels plug into an anderson plug at the back of the car.
A seperate anderson plug links the 2nd battery to the battery in my offroad camper so the ctek charges both, whether by alternator or solar.

You could add another charger specifically for your camper if you wanted to, id prob just leave the fridge etc running off the car so there is no big draw on the camper battery and plug the batteries back together when your back at camp.

theres quite a few options in this situation.

if you definately want a stand alone setup, maybe just grab a battery, cheap pwm solar regulator and whack a solar panel somewhere on/to the camper

Hi there, Sorry its taken si long to get back here, A nasty dose of work got in the way!
Thanks very much for the replies guys, much food for thought. I shall check out the "arks" BW, and Nightjar, that seems a good system

I will post what I end up with

Nigel

The ark is a 7 amp charger while the redarc you were looking at is 40 amp so might not do what you want. You could hook the 1240 in a mobile configuration like the ark though.
Jon

Yes thats basically what I was looking at, 1220 and 80ah agm battery in the Ute, with an extra 12v take off from somewhere... driving a 1240 with a 120ah agm battery in a box, that I can take out and use asa stand alone system with maybe 120w solar feed when its out of the Ute.

Im thinking about setting my 4x4 up with dual battery system.
I am also searching for a 2nd hand camper trailer that I can set up with battery/solar power.

I have Land cruiser prado. it had a dual system installed previously.
Now I am left with the auxiliary battery which is the one at the back of engine compartment as my crank battery.
The battery at the front is missing. I imagine I will have to install a battery at the front an isolator etc and then switch them over so the front battery is again the crank battery- 55AMH .
I would also like to install an Anderson plug to the auxiliary so it can charge batteries in the camper when driving or I can attach solar panels as a stand alone out camping.
Any help suggestion greatly appreciated
Thanks

Well after much 'research' and a lot of help from here (thanks Condor!) I ended up with a Redarc 1225 dc/dc charger (this allows for solar input as well), the output from this goes to a 4 way battery switch, bat 1, off, bat 2 and ganged together (this last position you never use, but I couldn't find a 3 position switch). This enables you to charge separate batteries individually without risking 'cooking' one if the charge states are uneven, or the batteries are of different sizes.
I have a 80AH AGM battery in the engine compartment, and a 'removable' 120AH AGM back in the 'tray' Similar to what you are after, but the one I have in the tray, would be in your camper. This one can be charged directly from solar with the correct regulator (I have a 150W set of panels) I also put a waterproof Anderson plug from the Redarc unit to be able to use solar via that. This set up gives me a very versatile system in and out of the ute.

Thanks cairnspom
That gives me some ideas I didn't have a clue what dual battery brand/kit set up would give me the most options.

Thats not to say there is anything wrong with C-Tek or other brands, but I know of others with Redarc systems and were happy with them, and I found it easier to get/understand the info on them to ensure it would do what I wanted!
Feel free to PM me if I can help

cairnspom said:

Thats not to say there is anything wrong with C-Tek or other brands, but I know of others with Redarc systems and were happy with them, and I found it easier to get/understand the info on them to ensure it would do what I wanted!
Feel free to PM me if I can help

Click to expand...

Cheers mate
Every thing is in the research and planning stage for now..probably starting next 2 weeks with the dual battery in the prado once my mate gets back from Bali.

Traxide have some good guides to make it all a little clearer.
http://www.traxide.com.au/

Another vote for Traxide,They make them .Give them a call,Their system has some extra little bits that others don't.

Cheers for the tips guys

The traxide product is not the same as the redarc dcdc charger as mentioned above. Do your research on that one but if used in shared mode you will be killing your starter battery sooner as generally they don't like being discharged. In ignition mode it looks like a standard isolator that relays power from a charged to discharged battery with the associated issues.
Jon

the traxide sucks off both batterys until i think the start battery gets to a voltage were the unit senses the voltage is getting to low to start your vehicle and switches to the aux battery this gives you two battery's for a short time,It also wont switch to dual charge until your start battery is fully charged, I have been running this system for many years with no problems.I think the cut out is 12.3 from memory.I also believe that the traxide will trickle charge back to the starting battery if the second battery has a full charge and the start is down from short runs etc.This happened to me with a national luna battery box.

WARNING
The Traxide is a Duel Battery Isolator, it allows a 2nd under hood wet cell to be charged and retain starter voltage.

It is not a DC to DC charger
It still charges at alternator voltage 13.8VDC and single stage only.
It will not charge an AGM which needs up to 14.5VDC and mullti stage.

Comparing the Traxide to the Redarc BCDC ot Ctek chargers is like comparing Apples to Oranges.

Ok
This is the Redarc BCDC am I on the right track with this one ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REDARC-B...621960?hash=item41715a5e08:g:XGAAAOxycmBS9Ev4

Question; from the specs this will allow Under bonnet charging or remote charging to a battery on a trailer. I imagine via cable and Anderson plug as well as allowing for connection and charging from a solar panel.

This may sound like a silly expectation, but here goes.
This is what I want to acheive.
I have a deep cycle 55ah battery now as my start battery. I want to install a second Deep cycle battery (80-100ah) as an auxiliary under the bonnet.
I also want to be able to charge a third deep cycle battery (105-130ah) in the trailer whilst driving and when camped.
I'm thinking I need to install a system that allows me to charge either the auxiliary battery and the trailer battery whilst driving and also a way I can charge each on their own from using solar panels separately.
Is this possible and what would be the best way to do it ?