Dual Battery System Setup

[goldtruck59]

Hey Mate

Take a look at these Dc Dc chargers by Ctek. It takes care of your solar as well. They work a treat we fit them every day.
Keep it simple is my motto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPtawOngxWA

GT

 

[Narrawa]

..........a simple 100A continuous relay/solenoid to connect the batteries. When the engine is off the start battery is isolated. As soon as you turn on the ignition all batteries are connected. It's simple and effective.

Nothing against the electronic gismo's, but iv seen a few fail...and i prefer the ones like in the quote above also. Its what im running and providing iv got the idiot switch on..all is good.

Was thinking of a DC/DC charger mounted in the van at the batt, and charged as i drive, but the 130W panel keeps the van batt charged well enough.

Condor22, i did the sums on our eletric blankets on low from the inverter, from memory its quite do-able. But when we are tucked up in bed watching a movie with the geny running.....neither one of us want to get up and turn it off.....and on many a morning when nature calls, its still running when we do get up.
Thinking of pulling the servo's from some of my RC cars and attaching to the geny to turn it off via remote. :lol:

 

[Metamorphic]

Hey Mate

Take a look at these Dc Dc chargers by Ctek. It takes care of your solar as well. They work a treat we fit them every day.
Keep it simple is my motto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPtawOngxWA

GT

Yeh i want one of those GT, been eyeing em off on ebay.

Love how they auto sense if the most voltage is coming from alternator or solar, and switch over accordingly!

Bloody pricey though, but worth it i reckon.

 

[PabloP]

All CTEK devices are pricey and they do fail. I had a CTEK charger fail a few days before warranty ran out and they did eventually replace it, but the retailer wouldn't send it off for warranty replacement without me buying a replacement for later re-imbursement. I ended up with 2 of them as CTEK sent a replacement not the $$$ and the retailer said he couldn't give me the $$.

Rob

 

[noncents]

http://i60.tinypic.com/211o521.jpg

.

That show on your TV are they doing the" happy gold dance"

 

[condor22]

..........a simple 100A continuous relay/solenoid to connect the batteries. When the engine is off the start battery is isolated. As soon as you turn on the ignition all batteries are connected. It's simple and effective.

Nothing against the electronic gismo's, but iv seen a few fail...and i prefer the ones like in the quote above also. Its what im running and providing iv got the idiot switch on..all is good.

Was thinking of a DC/DC charger mounted in the van at the batt, and charged as i drive, but the 130W panel keeps the van batt charged well enough.

Condor22, i did the sums on our eletric blankets on low from the inverter, from memory its quite do-able. But when we are tucked up in bed watching a movie with the geny running.....neither one of us want to get up and turn it off.....and on many a morning when nature calls, its still running when we do get up.
Thinking of pulling the servo's from some of my RC cars and attaching to the geny to turn it off via remote. :lol:

I run my genny at the end of the day's detecting. For several reasons. First, I can top up what solar hasn't from the 240VAC charger. I quite often also use the microwave to cook tea, it saves the gas for the fridge. My hot water system is duel gas/electric, so I can heat up the water on electric whilst cooking so that I can then wash the days dishes. Then also have a hot shower also saving gas. During this time I can watch TV listening to the news etc. I then turn the hot water service off and put the electric blanket on high while the genny is going. I turn off the genny about 8pm and can then hook the blanket to the inverter and turn to low. The TV if still on is now on 12VDC as well. I have 1 or 2 lights on (all are low current LED). If I'm still looking at the TV for another hour or two, I do it in the warm bed.

The following morning, I do breakfast using gas, boil up enough water to have a wash and do the teeth. I leave the dishes in enough cold water to keep out the ants.
If my battery monitor shows I've used too much, so far I haven't, I can run the genny for an hour. When I go off detecting the only thing operating is the fridge on gas.

As I have said before, it's as much about how, as it is about what you use.

 

[Jaros]

Sounds like a good place to be--importantly - organised.

 

[Metamorphic]

That show on your TV are they doing the" happy gold dance"

Hehe.....Nah mate, thats my Go-Pro vid of the camp party the night before!

I dont really go to C/Parks with my van much, Im more at home in the bush sleeping on the gold.

Although i have a 9kg gas setup with a grouse onboard stove/oven/griller, you just cant beat cooking over camp fire i reckon.

The kids love it too!

My onboard fridge is only 2-way, so its 240 or gas (no 12v).....running it on gas makes me nervous at night so I will invest in a good 65lt 'Dual Zone' Waeco i think.

Keeping warm at night in the middle of winter......heh! no dramas with the Primus Mr Heater portable buddy.

Gotta keep the pop top vents open though for ventilation.

Cheers

 

[ProspectorPete]

Geez, you blokes have some great set-up for camping.
I take my fridge which runs off the socket in the toolbox pulling from the deep cycle, use the 80 watt solar to keep the DC topped up which it does well.
Cooking is mainly on the fire, sometimes on the 2 burner stove, dishes are paper plates which get washed in the fire, utensils are rare, lighting is my trusty old gas lantern and a torch, hot water is kettle on the stove, music is ipod in the vehicle, electric blanket is a can of baked beans before bed, if it rains I pull the swag under the tarp, washing is only when it rains and I wonder why people don't stay long in my camp site :lol:
Seriously though, you guy's have some great set-ups there and over the next few years we'll be heading that way too, we ain't getting younger and I'm seeing the sense of being comfortable.

This is how my mates and I camp on the Murray River for days at a time fishing, basic and easy and it's how I've camped for 30 years but the nights get colder and longer so the thought of a pre-heated electric blanket does sound inviting.

Tracey bought a Coleman portable pantry for our 2 weeks at Bemm River this weekend coming and I laughed until I got "the look", I think soon to be Mrs PP is going to change the way we camp soon enough.

 

[Metamorphic]

Pete your exactly right......for the short stays, simple is best!

These days my prospecting trips can go for weeks at a time and now i have just turned 50, the creature comforts rate more highly, especially when we bring the ladies along with us.

But im a plain Aust. bushman at heart, that part will never leave me, so as for electric blankets.......Maaaate! come on now please! You know i like you!

LOL...

Love the setup in the Troopy, engel/waeco on a slide rack? Draw setup underneath!

Grouse!

 

[condor22]

I've done the tent bit, I've done the camper bit and slept under a bloody parachute in the Malaysian Jungle.

At near mid 60s, I deserve the "Glamping" I now do, but I reckon each to their own.

I have no problem sharing a beer at the campfire with those people in tents n swags, we are all out there for the same thing.

Just as I have no problem getting out of the 4x4, walking to the van door and sitting on a comfortable lounge to drink it, when it's peein down with rain and I look out the window at those getting wet putting up their tent........ :lol:

BTW I still have a swag I use when I can't get the van close enough.......

 

[Metamorphic]

Hey Condor, I booked my site (86) just last weekend for the Laanecoorie Bash in October.

Can you please book site 84 so i can perhaps share the blanket with you.....

Nah, seriously, just havin a dig......saw your setup last year mate and i must say it is bloody awesome!

Cheers bud

 

[ProspectorPete]

Yep my old troopy saw some trips, I removed the rear seats and had a full drawer system built the full lengh, 450mm deep with 2 slide out drawers at the rear half for food and cooking equip, 2 lid lift tubs in the front half for tarps, recovery gear and tools with 2 x lockable compartments behind the seats for the 1000 watt inverter and valuables, 4 x small compartments on the sides over the wheel arches. Unfortunately I had them built in so not removable, they went with the vehicle last year.
I think this 2 week stint in the swag could be the turning point of the slide-on camper moving up the priority list, last few trips we've both had sore hips in the swag even with the 4" high density mattress.
We are staying in the caravan park again at Bemm River this year on an unpowered site so we can camp up the top away from others.
I normally shun caravan parks because they have rules & regs but I must be getting older and more mature as last years trip was great, I've changed my thinking about caravan parks depending on the location though.

This was our set-up last year and the tent was new and the only run it's had so far, Trace likes the tent and I must admit it's good for privacy but I hate the set up / pack up of tents, free standing slide-on camper is my next thing.

I choose my dates around the Vic & NSW school holidays to avoid the kids (no offence) as ours are all grown up and we just want peace & quiet, lucky if there are 10 people in the park on any day.

 

[Jaros]

We, as well avoid holiday periods ,for peace sake.
Jaros.

 

[condor22]

Hey Condor, I booked my site (86) just last weekend for the Laanecoorie Bash in October.

Can you please book site 84 so i can perhaps share the blanket with you.....

Nah, seriously, just havin a dig......saw your setup last year mate and i must say it is bloody awesome!

Cheers bud

On my other thread, you may note that I now have solar input, a BCDC1220 and a different 240V charger.

Oh re the blanket sharing, I thought really, really hard about your request, for all of 1 second and on this occasion, PASS.