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Equipment Tests > Battery Systems
Battery Systems
Words by John Denman
If you have an electric winch fitted to your vehicle, or you own a 12 volt fridge, chances are you have considered the idea of fitting a dual battery system. Even if you don't own either of these things you may have thought about it just for the convenience of having back-up power in the event your primary battery goes flat. Either way, there is a wide spread of opinion and a good many yarns on this subject. Like anything else, everyone has their own ideas, and while some of these ideas may be valid, a great many are not. The truth is in there somewhere, and you need to be able to sort through the B.S. to get to it. Dual batteries aren't new, they've been around for a fairly long time in one form or another, and many are the jobs I've seen cobbled up in someone's shed. Some have been well built and worked well, but others have left a fair bit to be desired.
These days, you really don't need to go DIY, in fact you really shouldn't. Fitting a dual battery system has become a highly specialised job. Try and save a few bucks by doing it yourself, and you could end up paying the price in a place where the Auto Club won't come. There are some excellent dual battery systems on the market, and with the complexities of modern engine management systems, you need to be careful. This is probably the area of greatest peril for any non-standard modification. While reasonably robust, the computerised innards and alternators of these new vehicles can be fried if they are not protected from current spikes, or overloads that can occur particularly when an electric winch is being used.
Some new vehicles now run two batteries as standard fitment like the turbo-diesel Jackaroo and LandCruiser but these should not be confused with an aftermarket dual battery system. These are a parallel battery set-up and are there for auxiliary cranking in climates where extreme cold may be experienced - not really required in this country. As to the next question; no you can't just fit an isolator between them and hey presto! Dual battery set-up. In the case of a vehicle like this both batteries will have to be junked and you must start from scratch.
Which system?
When you go looking for a dual battery system, it's very important that you know what sort of use you are going to put it to. They come in a bewildering variety of types and functions, and unless you are specific, you could end up paying for the wrong one. Some are only there to run a fridge and some camp lighting, others are specifically designed for prolonged winching, others on the more extreme end of both usage and price, can be used to power not just the vehicles batteries, but those in a caravan as well. You can also get battery monitors that will tell you the status of the individual battery.
One thing you should make sure of when your chosen system is to be fitted is that the second battery will be completely isolated from the cranking, or primary battery. One of the benefits of having a dual battery is the security of having your cranking battery available at all times. To do this you have to make sure that all accessories that are non-standard are wired to your auxiliary battery. In other words, the only things you want running off your primary battery is whatever it came out of the showroom with.
If you want to run a car fridge I would suggest that you have the installer run a hot wire from the second battery to a dedicated socket positioned where you will carry the fridge. Preferably it should be an appropriate polarised 2-pin plug rather than a cigarette lighter socket. This not only prevents the fridge drawing power from the primary battery; it also eliminates annoying leads running through the vehicle, and a two-pin plug won't shake loose like some lighter sockets do. Some fridges are more efficient than others, and so conserve power better, while others have a low voltage cutout, and this can be annoying to owners with deep cycle batteries.
Other questions to ask are whether the system is compatible with solar panels or battery chargers. Some can be charged directly from a generator, while others can't and need to be trickle-charged over at least a day. Some systems will restore full power to the battery after being drained overnight in just a few hours of travel the next day, while others will need the whole day of travel to bring the battery back to full charge.
Like most things, you get what you pay for. You also need to ask the installer about the location of the second battery so that you can get to it to check its condition from time to time. Not all second batteries can be fitted into the engine bay without extensive (read costly) modifications. They may have to be fitted into the cargo area. If this is the case, make certain that there is no chance of gases coming from the battery into the cabin. To do this you will need to have the battery securely fitted into an approved, sealed-in battery box, and vented to the exterior of the vehicle by way of a hose through the floor.
Fuses are another consideration, and they should always be the same types that the vehicle has as standard - if the vehicle uses blade type fuses, use them for all fusible links, if the vehicle has tubular glass fuses, then do likewise. It makes fuse replacement and the carrying of spares that much easier.
Basically there are two types of dual battery systems; one uses the parallel charging arrangement where the alternator is charging both batteries at the same time. The other is independent charging where the main or primary battery is totally isolated from the vehicle's alternator and other electric's once the engine is running. This then means that the entire output of the alternator is going into the auxiliary battery, which means it reaches full charge a lot faster. This means that you can then use it again a lot sooner.
read on below advertisement
You can expect to spend $600 to a bit over $1,000 on a good dual battery system, so an itemised quote from an installer is a good idea. This should include the sort of battery you are getting, where it will be fitted, the sort of battery tray to be supplied, and any modifications needed, the sort of isolator used, along with a separate amount for labour. That way both you and the installer will know exactly where you stand.
ARB
03 9761 6622, www.arb.com.au
Opposite Lock
1800 624 444, www.oppositelock.com
Piranha
03 9762 1200.
Rotronics
1800 644 620.
TJM
07 3865 9999, www.tjmproducts.com.au
Which Battery?
The choice of a battery for your auxiliary should also be made with care and should be the biggest you can get to fit the space you have available. Unless you intend using the battery in a situation where it will constantly become fully discharged you don't need to go for a Deep-Cycle unit. Just get a good quality one that will handle the sort of pounding that goes on in bush travel. The minimum battery for this job is a composite type such as the Century Yuasa MP600. The MP600 has 15 plates and is an 80 amp/hour unit. Just make sure you don't go cheap here - the battery is there to give you peace of mind, don't let that be just an illusion. A battery like the Century Yuasa MP600 has a CCA (or cold cranking amp) capacity of 650, and is about the right size for a 4.2-litre diesel on a cold morning. Basically there are three different types of batteries; the standard car battery, truck or tractor batteries, and deep cycle batteries. The other brand to consider for this work is Exide. Between the two brands they have about 90 percent of the Australian market.
Car batteries are what you get as standard, and are OK for light work such as starting the car and a few light jobs like short term running of a fridge or even the occasional winch job. They are cheaper than the heavier duty battery, but they don't handle a heavy workload well. A truck and tractor battery is probably the best way to go. It's got a high CCA capacity; the plates are reinforced and there are more of them, and it will handle your winching requirements. The one to look for here is something like the Century Yuasa Overlander. This one has 17 plates and CCA capacity of 700.
Then there's the deep cycle. This one is handy for fairly lengthy stays in one spot when you want to run a fridge, lights, HF radio or anything that will create a low amp drain over a long period of time. It can be run down to dead flat a number of times and re-charged without shortening its life. Deep cycle batteries generally have fewer plates (as little as four) but they are much thicker than a cranking battery. They do not make good cranking batteries due to a much lower CCA. The car or truck batteries have more plates offering better contact with the acid therefore giving faster recovery time, and a higher CCA.
All the batteries mentioned thus far are the wet cell type, which are the traditional style of battery that we have all grown to love and - at times - hate. But there is another kind available today; a dry cell battery that puts out as much power than a conventional wet cell battery yet has a lot more to recommend it in certain areas. There are just two varieties of this new generation battery available on the Australian market at the moment; the Odyssey battery and the Optima battery. Both feature dry cell technology, which means they will not leak, and can be mounted at almost any angle, making them easier to fit in some vehicles.
To the 4WD owner a more important consideration is that these batteries are more resistant to shock and vibrations than the conventional variety due to their design and construction They also offer faster charging from as low as 100 percent discharge and have a much longer service life; up to eight years depending on the sort of work they perform.
The Optima dry cell battery is different from the Odyssey in that it uses what the company calls Spiralcell technology, where each cell is spiral-wound resulting in what the company refers to as a "six-pack." This results in the distinctive "six-pack" shape and a battery that looks completely different from most others. It also contributes to the Optima's resistance to vibration and long cranking life; tested to over 12,000 starts.
You can get dry cell batteries in deep cycle, cranking and marine variations as well as a variety of capacities. The cranking batteries run up to 800 and 930 CCA form, which puts them right up there in the heavier duty class.
As you might expect these batteries are more expensive than a conventional one, so it's really up to you to decide what your needs are. Both are covered by generous warranties.
Optima and Odyssey: Hypertech
0500 533169. www.rowanhypertech.com
Odyssey Batteries
1800 550 153
If you have an electric winch fitted to your vehicle, or you own a 12 volt fridge, chances are you have considered the idea of fitting a dual battery system. Even if you don't own either of these things you may have thought about it just for the convenience of having back-up power in the event your primary battery goes flat. Either way, there is a wide spread of opinion and a good many yarns on this subject. Like anything else, everyone has their own ideas, and while some of these ideas may be valid, a great many are not. The truth is in there somewhere, and you need to be able to sort through the B.S. to get to it. Dual batteries aren't new, they've been around for a fairly long time in one form or another, and many are the jobs I've seen cobbled up in someone's shed. Some have been well built and worked well, but others have left a fair bit to be desired.
These days, you really don't need to go DIY, in fact you really shouldn't. Fitting a dual battery system has become a highly specialised job. Try and save a few bucks by doing it yourself, and you could end up paying the price in a place where the Auto Club won't come. There are some excellent dual battery systems on the market, and with the complexities of modern engine management systems, you need to be careful. This is probably the area of greatest peril for any non-standard modification. While reasonably robust, the computerised innards and alternators of these new vehicles can be fried if they are not protected from current spikes, or overloads that can occur particularly when an electric winch is being used.
Some new vehicles now run two batteries as standard fitment like the turbo-diesel Jackaroo and LandCruiser but these should not be confused with an aftermarket dual battery system. These are a parallel battery set-up and are there for auxiliary cranking in climates where extreme cold may be experienced - not really required in this country. As to the next question; no you can't just fit an isolator between them and hey presto! Dual battery set-up. In the case of a vehicle like this both batteries will have to be junked and you must start from scratch.
Which system?
When you go looking for a dual battery system, it's very important that you know what sort of use you are going to put it to. They come in a bewildering variety of types and functions, and unless you are specific, you could end up paying for the wrong one. Some are only there to run a fridge and some camp lighting, others are specifically designed for prolonged winching, others on the more extreme end of both usage and price, can be used to power not just the vehicles batteries, but those in a caravan as well. You can also get battery monitors that will tell you the status of the individual battery.
One thing you should make sure of when your chosen system is to be fitted is that the second battery will be completely isolated from the cranking, or primary battery. One of the benefits of having a dual battery is the security of having your cranking battery available at all times. To do this you have to make sure that all accessories that are non-standard are wired to your auxiliary battery. In other words, the only things you want running off your primary battery is whatever it came out of the showroom with.
If you want to run a car fridge I would suggest that you have the installer run a hot wire from the second battery to a dedicated socket positioned where you will carry the fridge. Preferably it should be an appropriate polarised 2-pin plug rather than a cigarette lighter socket. This not only prevents the fridge drawing power from the primary battery; it also eliminates annoying leads running through the vehicle, and a two-pin plug won't shake loose like some lighter sockets do. Some fridges are more efficient than others, and so conserve power better, while others have a low voltage cutout, and this can be annoying to owners with deep cycle batteries.
Other questions to ask are whether the system is compatible with solar panels or battery chargers. Some can be charged directly from a generator, while others can't and need to be trickle-charged over at least a day. Some systems will restore full power to the battery after being drained overnight in just a few hours of travel the next day, while others will need the whole day of travel to bring the battery back to full charge.
Like most things, you get what you pay for. You also need to ask the installer about the location of the second battery so that you can get to it to check its condition from time to time. Not all second batteries can be fitted into the engine bay without extensive (read costly) modifications. They may have to be fitted into the cargo area. If this is the case, make certain that there is no chance of gases coming from the battery into the cabin. To do this you will need to have the battery securely fitted into an approved, sealed-in battery box, and vented to the exterior of the vehicle by way of a hose through the floor.
Fuses are another consideration, and they should always be the same types that the vehicle has as standard - if the vehicle uses blade type fuses, use them for all fusible links, if the vehicle has tubular glass fuses, then do likewise. It makes fuse replacement and the carrying of spares that much easier.
Basically there are two types of dual battery systems; one uses the parallel charging arrangement where the alternator is charging both batteries at the same time. The other is independent charging where the main or primary battery is totally isolated from the vehicle's alternator and other electric's once the engine is running. This then means that the entire output of the alternator is going into the auxiliary battery, which means it reaches full charge a lot faster. This means that you can then use it again a lot sooner.
read on below advertisement
You can expect to spend $600 to a bit over $1,000 on a good dual battery system, so an itemised quote from an installer is a good idea. This should include the sort of battery you are getting, where it will be fitted, the sort of battery tray to be supplied, and any modifications needed, the sort of isolator used, along with a separate amount for labour. That way both you and the installer will know exactly where you stand.
ARB
03 9761 6622, www.arb.com.au
Opposite Lock
1800 624 444, www.oppositelock.com
Piranha
03 9762 1200.
Rotronics
1800 644 620.
TJM
07 3865 9999, www.tjmproducts.com.au
Which Battery?
The choice of a battery for your auxiliary should also be made with care and should be the biggest you can get to fit the space you have available. Unless you intend using the battery in a situation where it will constantly become fully discharged you don't need to go for a Deep-Cycle unit. Just get a good quality one that will handle the sort of pounding that goes on in bush travel. The minimum battery for this job is a composite type such as the Century Yuasa MP600. The MP600 has 15 plates and is an 80 amp/hour unit. Just make sure you don't go cheap here - the battery is there to give you peace of mind, don't let that be just an illusion. A battery like the Century Yuasa MP600 has a CCA (or cold cranking amp) capacity of 650, and is about the right size for a 4.2-litre diesel on a cold morning. Basically there are three different types of batteries; the standard car battery, truck or tractor batteries, and deep cycle batteries. The other brand to consider for this work is Exide. Between the two brands they have about 90 percent of the Australian market.
Car batteries are what you get as standard, and are OK for light work such as starting the car and a few light jobs like short term running of a fridge or even the occasional winch job. They are cheaper than the heavier duty battery, but they don't handle a heavy workload well. A truck and tractor battery is probably the best way to go. It's got a high CCA capacity; the plates are reinforced and there are more of them, and it will handle your winching requirements. The one to look for here is something like the Century Yuasa Overlander. This one has 17 plates and CCA capacity of 700.
Then there's the deep cycle. This one is handy for fairly lengthy stays in one spot when you want to run a fridge, lights, HF radio or anything that will create a low amp drain over a long period of time. It can be run down to dead flat a number of times and re-charged without shortening its life. Deep cycle batteries generally have fewer plates (as little as four) but they are much thicker than a cranking battery. They do not make good cranking batteries due to a much lower CCA. The car or truck batteries have more plates offering better contact with the acid therefore giving faster recovery time, and a higher CCA.
All the batteries mentioned thus far are the wet cell type, which are the traditional style of battery that we have all grown to love and - at times - hate. But there is another kind available today; a dry cell battery that puts out as much power than a conventional wet cell battery yet has a lot more to recommend it in certain areas. There are just two varieties of this new generation battery available on the Australian market at the moment; the Odyssey battery and the Optima battery. Both feature dry cell technology, which means they will not leak, and can be mounted at almost any angle, making them easier to fit in some vehicles.
To the 4WD owner a more important consideration is that these batteries are more resistant to shock and vibrations than the conventional variety due to their design and construction They also offer faster charging from as low as 100 percent discharge and have a much longer service life; up to eight years depending on the sort of work they perform.
The Optima dry cell battery is different from the Odyssey in that it uses what the company calls Spiralcell technology, where each cell is spiral-wound resulting in what the company refers to as a "six-pack." This results in the distinctive "six-pack" shape and a battery that looks completely different from most others. It also contributes to the Optima's resistance to vibration and long cranking life; tested to over 12,000 starts.
You can get dry cell batteries in deep cycle, cranking and marine variations as well as a variety of capacities. The cranking batteries run up to 800 and 930 CCA form, which puts them right up there in the heavier duty class.
As you might expect these batteries are more expensive than a conventional one, so it's really up to you to decide what your needs are. Both are covered by generous warranties.
Optima and Odyssey: Hypertech
0500 533169. www.rowanhypertech.com
Odyssey Batteries
1800 550 153
