Dual battery setup for 2.8 1GD

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

That is weird. A change to switch earth on the wipers seems an odd thing to do.

[Black150 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black150]

Just throwing my two cents in to help someone to make the decision on their dual battery setup. The dual battery set up in my 2.8l was vastly different to my previous 4wd's, using just simple battery isolator. I just assumed it would be a Low Voltage alternator and save the heartache of chasing poorly managed aux batteries and warm beer. Plus, I can use solar to charge the aux battery whilst stationary.

The system I went with:

Piranha aux tray
Redarc 1240 LV including relay, and
240w folding solar panel.

I used as the ignition source, DRL wiring as they only come on once you hit the ignition button. Finding an easy ignition source in the newer, smarter vehicles is becoming a pain.

I welded up a bracket to allow air flow around the DC charger and have the relay close to it to minimise wiring within the engine bay. I didn't bother in using the MPPT charger in the solar panels and just let the Redarc do the work.

[swh2959 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close swh2959]

Just throwing my two cents in to help someone to make the decision on their dual battery setup. The dual battery set up in my 2.8l was vastly different to my previous 4wd's, using just simple battery isolator. I just assumed it would be a Low Voltage alternator and save the heartache of chasing poorly managed aux batteries and warm beer. Plus, I can use solar to charge the aux battery whilst stationary.

The system I went with:

Piranha aux tray
Redarc 1240 LV including relay, and
240w folding solar panel.

I used as the ignition source, DRL wiring as they only come on once you hit the ignition button. Finding an easy ignition source in the newer, smarter vehicles is becoming a pain.

I welded up a bracket to allow air flow around the DC charger and have the relay close to it to minimise wiring within the engine bay. I didn't bother in using the MPPT charger in the solar panels and just let the Redarc do the work.

Thanks for that - the DRL wiring makes sense as an ignition power source

[Phil150 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Phil150]

My new Prado should be here next week and i'm struggling to decide which way to go with dual battery isolators as wel. I don't suppose there has been any developments? Does anyone know much about the Intervolt EBI 12100A? It seems you can adjust the voltage when it joins and isolates the battery's if I am reading correctly, would this help the situation any? Any input from the experts on here would be appreciated.
http://www.intervolt.com/product/ele...tery-isolator/

Thanks

[Sarco Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sarco]

Have just read all the posts on this thread, and, for somebody who thinks that electrickery is white mans' magic, I condensed it all down to I think I need to charge my under-bonnet dual battery direct from the alternator through an isolator.

Vehicle is a Prado GXL manual 2.8 diesel 4/16 build. The deep cycle battery will be used to maintain a Waeco CFX40 in the rear and a few 12v accesoory switches for LED lighting etc. No camper trailer or caravan involved at this stage.

Is this something that would fit the bill?

http://www.sidewinder.com.au/page166a.html

Or are there better/cheaper off-the-shelf options that can be suggested?

[Lski Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lski]

Have just read all the posts on this thread, and, for somebody who thinks that electrickery is white mans' magic, I condensed it all down to I think I need to charge my under-bonnet dual battery direct from the alternator through an isolator.

Vehicle is a Prado GXL manual 2.8 diesel 4/16 build. The deep cycle battery will be used to maintain a Waeco CFX40 in the rear and a few 12v accesoory switches for LED lighting etc. No camper trailer or caravan involved at this stage.

Is this something that would fit the bill?

http://www.sidewinder.com.au/page166a.html

Or are there better/cheaper off-the-shelf options that can be suggested?

That's the isolator I run in my 2.8. It's also the same one I ran in my previous 4wd for several years. I used my own sourced cables etc though...

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Just picked up my new 150 GX. Why would anyone buy a battery tray for the second battery? The construction of the base is IDENTICAL to that for the main battery. As I see it I just need a plastic tray like the starter battery and the brackets to hold the battery down. A stay from the top of the battery to the radiator panel could easily be added to stop any rocking that so bedevilled 120s and early 150s. Cost? ... close to zero. Am I on the right track?

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Spot on pug and exactly what I did.

An ebay plastic tray, set of battery clamps and a small piece of flat bar to brace the rocking motion.

Plenty of room for a N70 size battery also...

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

About to install my second battery. I have been watching the voltage for a few weeks. It starts at about 13.7-13.8v and has never dropped below 13.4. My isolator opens at 13.2 so hopefully that will work!

[AGB Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close AGB]

Hi there, Any chance you could share ebay link for tray and clamps. thanks

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Something like this:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NISSAN-PA...UAAOSwcu5UUGIl

Any auto shop will have the clamps though I swapped the lightweight top brace for some steel angle and flat bar to brace to the front cross member.

[LeadWings Member Find all posts View Profile Close LeadWings]

I'm about to take delivery of my 2.8 150 (I'm very surprised they kept the same model designation considering how much has changed) so this thread has been a wealth of info - thanks to all who have contributed.

I used as the ignition source, DRL wiring as they only come on once you hit the ignition button. Finding an easy ignition source in the newer, smarter vehicles is becoming a pain.

Black150 , what does DRL stand for please?

[dBC Member Find all posts View Profile Close dBC]

Black150 , what does DRL stand for please?

Daytime Running Lights

[dBC Member Find all posts View Profile Close dBC]

Thanks for that graph Leigh.
As that graph clearly shows, an alternator will do a much better job.

Yes, great graph thanks. It shows there's no substitute for amps when you're in a hurry. At the risk of opening up the whole alternator Vs charger debate one more time... when you're not in a hurry, I wonder if the battery will last longer when using a charger? A lot of deep cycle battery manufacturers _recommend_ limiting the current during the bulk phase. I think I've seen anywhere from 10% to 30% of the battery capacity quoted as a current limit, so for example, for a 100AH battery limit the bulk current to 20A (assuming a 20% limit). By that measure, the charger is doing exactly the right thing while the alternator solution is breaking that rule for a good hour or so. It looks like the alternator took a 2hr explore to fully recharge the battery, while the charger would have taken a 2.5hr explore.

The charger's lower trickle voltage (13.2V) may well also be kinder during all those months you're driving around town and not camping, with a permanently fully charged camping battery.

[dBC Member Find all posts View Profile Close dBC]

About to install my second battery. I have been watching the voltage for a few weeks. It starts at about 13.7-13.8v and has never dropped below 13.4. My isolator opens at 13.2 so hopefully that will work!

It might work in the sense that it will open and close at the right times, but you're still stuck with trying to charge your deep cycle battery with a very inadequate 13.6V. Remember, the big debate of Isolator Vs DC charger was all based on a diode-tweaked 3L engine that would output 14.2-14.4V. AFAIK, nobody has yet found a way to make the 2.8L alternator output 14.4V. I don't think anyone in that debate thinks a 13.6V system is going to give you a timely battery recharge. I thought the reason they invented the diode-tweak in the first place was because they found charging at 13.6V took too long.