Dual Battery Setups! Let's see them! Multiple Batteries Thread!

And adds 3.6HP too. LOL
Zim

 

I used aluminum. It's easy to work with, easy to bend. I think that Aussie used a wood product. Heavy but they have better HP and payload capacities. Made my own sheet metal brake also. It's fun to hone your skills over the years and be able to do this yourself. Even if you screw it up the cost is still much less than paying someone or buying it off the shelf even if you could find it. I made a quick forward fuse panel the other day for some low amp lights and forward facing camera.
Watch those Aussies, they know what's up. LOL
Zim

 

I don't think the BCDC will do anything for a single battery set up. I've got one in a dual battery set up and it only charges the 2nd battery.
https://redarcelectronics.com/blogs/videos/what-is-a-redarc-bcdc-and-what-does-it-do

 

Tagging this thread for reading/learning.

 

Finally got my Renogy battery monitor hooked up.

One question that really isn’t covered well, but seems like this is the correct answer -

When setting everything up, the amp hours setting is the useable amp hours of the battery, not the total, correct?

My house battery is a flooded deep cycle 115ah battery so it should be set to ~50ah, right?

 

does anyone have a recommendation on a 100ah LiFePO4 battery that is under $350? I am not opposed to Amazon, as that is the main place that I am looking, but does anyone have real-life experience with something other than Battle Born?

Im sure I wrote my setup out previously, but weather is finally warming up, and Im itching to get my stuff installed. Im going to be running 8ga wire from my starting battery to a CTEK D250SE. I also have 200w solar panels on my roof that will also go to the CTEK. The battery will be running my fridge and bed lighting/other lights in the bed area, through a blue sea fuse panel. I have the fuses and breakers already. Im not going to have an inverter. Future plans probably will be a diesel heater, so that is the reason for wanting a 100ah.

 

You can look into Chins Lithium Battery's. I saw something on youtube where a guy took it apart and compared the components and craftsmanship and thought they were well made. the difference between the $369 version and the $550 smart version has to do with the low temp sensor for charging. which will be an important safety measure depending on where you do most of your camping and where you are installing the battery. Also, 8ga wire seems a bit small, depending on where you install your aux battery. I Installed my aux battery behind my driver back seat and used 4ga wire.

 

Thanks! I will check those out. I took this winter off from camping, but its definitely a possibility for the future. What about getting a battery heater?

Going from the manual for the CTEK, the input from the starting battery up to 15ft, minimum should be 10ga, but I chose 8 just to be safe.

 

Battery heater would work for the $369 Chins battery in the winter/colder camping. 10ga up to 15ft includes the length of your negative wire as well. So, calculate your distance roundtrip (so to speak) and take all of that into consideration. Never hurts to go a little bigger IMO.

 

FWIW, this is the power consumption per hour of my 5kw diesel heater at various pump settings (in htz).



Start up time is 4-5 minutes at 10a, so that’s .66 to .83 ah.

 

I run 10 ga wire to my CTEK in the bed - works just fine.

If you haven't thought about it (I'm sure you have), add a fuse at the main battery end of the wire. And, of course, protect the wire from abrasion against the frame, and being grabbed by the occasional tree branch (depending where you off-road.)

 

I was going to run a negative from the second battery in the bed, through a drain hole, and directly to the frame under the bed.

yes, I have a 30amp ANL fuse that will go inline close to the starting battery. And ive got some braided loom to protect the wire and make it look clean/hidden.

 

@KRUD Either one can do this for you. Also, a radio installation shop or RV shop.

 

Send them an email. They're busy like everyone else in the world. Took them a few days to respond to me but after that that answered everything I asked.

 

Do you have specific technical questions or are you just reaching out to make sure they're not gunna snake your money! Have you tried tagging them if they are actually on TW?

For what it's worth, I bought a piece part from them a few weeks ago and it arrived in half the time their website quoted. All in all, pretty great service considered they answered all my questions too.

 

I’ve been through about 50 pages so far and only found a little bit of info…..

Batteries mounted behind the bedsides or along the frame rails, who’s all done it? I’ve only seen 3 or 4 pictures.

I’m kicking around the idea of adding a second house battery to double my battery capacity. My system is already set up to charge deep cycles and it would be cheaper to just add another battery vs purchasing an 100ah LiFePO4 battery abs associated bits to make it work.

Most 3 batteries setups have the 2 house batteries either in the bed or the cab and I don’t want to do that.

 

I ordered this battery. Was going to go for the Chins, but figured they're all probably the same except the colors.

12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery 50A BMS

12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery 100A BMS Lithium Iron Phosphate Deep Cycle Battery Pack for Trolling Motor, Solar Energy Storage, RV, Camper, Marine, Home Backup, Off-Grid System, Lead Acid Replacement

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J4WNMDX?_encoding=UTF8

 

Only 25# is nice.

 

Planning on ordering the last of my Dual Battery setup this week. Any tips or anything before I pull the trigger? I'll be placing an order with Off Grid Engineering for their 05+ Redarc Split System. I have everything else for my House power setup and misc wiring and supplies already.. Been collecting parts.

 

Still need to wire in the solar panels.

How are people pulling the solar panel wires through the cab vent behind the seats?