Conflicting views on battery type for dual battery set up

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

Thanks for all your help guys. I think I will try the marine pro 720. Just not sure if it will fit in the 2010 prado. There is a metal pipe and hose -air con?? that partly obstructs the area for the spare battery. Can this be bent away without damaging it?

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Thanks for all your help guys. I think I will try the marine pro 720. Just not sure if it will fit in the 2010 prado. There is a metal pipe and hose -air con?? that partly obstructs the area for the spare battery. Can this be bent away without damaging it?

Ive got a Deka Seamate AGM 79AH Deep Cycle in an ARB Battery Tray in my 150D4D. The tray and battery are a perfect fit with no hoses needing relocation. It was also one of the few deep cycle batteries that was warranted for under bonnet use. Most deep cycle batteries have no warranty when used under the bonnet.

[Bundyman Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bundyman]

Thanks for all your help guys. I think I will try the marine pro 720. Just not sure if it will fit in the 2010 prado. There is a metal pipe and hose -air con?? that partly obstructs the area for the spare battery. Can this be bent away without damaging it?

I am using a SuperCharge Seamaster Gold MFM70 marine style battery. I made a "tray" to sit on the existing mount out of a couple of nylon cutting boards and some stainless bolts/screws. I gently "relocated" the aircon pipework to allow this slightly larger battery to fit. I believe a few other members are running a similar setup.

[Nifty07 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nifty07]

Antiquesman,

Dont bend the AC pipe. This will cost you heaps. It is a pipe in a pipe and any bending will break it. use a screwdriver to unclip the plastic clamp near the aux battery and tie the front bracket to the new battery tray. You will need to slightly bend a small pipe where it goes to the front of the car to the radiator.

I posted some photo's of my install and you can see the aux battery tray some time back.

Nifty.

[Bundyman Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bundyman]

Antiquesman,

Dont bend the AC pipe. This will cost you heaps. It is a pipe in a pipe and any bending will break it. use a screwdriver to unclip the plastic clamp near the aux battery and tie the front bracket to the new battery tray. You will need to slightly bend a small pipe where it goes to the front of the car to the radiator.

I posted some photo's of my install and you can see the aux battery tray some time back.

Nifty.

That's what I meant when I said 'relocate". I just mounted a slightly modified version of the existing mount onto the end of my "tray."

The little pipe going up front was just held back a little by a cable tie so it wouldn't rub on the body.

I was very nervous about busting this AC pipe. I think another member had done this himself.

cheers

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

I decided today was the day I was going to buy my battery.
I went to "Every battery" in Kensington and showed him my set up. The tray I had installed was a standard battery size tray and the guy suggested I should be buying a standard size battery. Not content with that, I went to see a panel beater I know and asked him what he thought about the possibility of fitting a larger tray and the marine pro 720 battery.
I had the dimensions of the battery with me and he measured the available area. It was obvious that the air con hose would be in the way. We unbolted it and he just pushed it towards the engine to show me that by doing so there would be room to fit the battery. He then suggested that we could make up a new bracket to mount the aircon pipe and we could have a piece of rubber under the battery and make it continue from the bottom of the battery up the side of the battery to prevent the pipe from rubbing against the battery. (Is this a good idea - will the rubber melt? The pipe seems to get rather hot.

Anyway, "Great" I said, "I'll go and get a larger tray". He suggested that I wouldn't need one as long as I had the battery hold down clamps and used some rubber under the battery.

I went back to battery world and bought the battery. Hope to fit it tomorrow. Am I missing something with all of this?
What is the purpose of the battery tray? I note some cost well over a hundred dollars. I got mine (a projecta metal one) for peanuts and now I am told that I don't really need one at all.
Surely there must be a reason for why people re spending big bucks on a battery tray so can someone please enlighten me?

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

I can't find the thread right now but at least one member broke the pipe (which is a double wall pipe). by bending it on ad ice from an "expert". Aluminum a/c pipes are not designed to be bent and big $ if you stuff it. Also the battery area is designed for a certain size aux battery and bigger battery = more weight. There are lots of posts on this topic if you do a bit of a search, hint try "dual battery".

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

[Darren253* Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Darren253*]

I can't find the thread right now but at least one member broke the pipe (which is a double wall pipe). by bending it on ad ice from an "expert". Aluminum a/c pipes are not designed to be bent and big $ if you stuff it. Also the battery area is designed for a certain size aux battery and bigger battery = more weight. There are lots of posts on this topic if you do a bit of a search, hint try "dual battery".

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

I fitted a 100ah N70 size unit. I relocated the ac pipe and drilled a hole in my new tray and bent the mounting brack (not the pipe) slight about 5 or 10 degrees to make sure there is no rubbing. Works like a charm... There is a whole thread on it somewhere!

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

There is an issue with inner guard cracking, I fitted a battery in an effort to
distribute the load away from the inner as much as possible.

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

I also ftted a marine pro 720 size battery... we gently and carefully pushed the A/C pipe towards the engine bay by a couple of cm without bending or stressing the pipe excessively and made a small bracket to support it in place so it didn't rub against the battery. We used a piece of rubber (conveyor belt) under the battery and used the pre-existing battery clamp holes, and just purchased a battery clamp from super cheap...and all works fine, no problems....and no expensive battery tray required

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

I also ftted a marine pro 720 size battery... we gently and carefully pushed the A/C pipe towards the engine bay by a couple of cm without bending or stressing the pipe excessively and made a small bracket to support it in place so it didn't rub against the battery. We used a piece of rubber (conveyor belt) under the battery and used the pre-existing battery clamp holes, and just purchased a battery clamp from super cheap...and all works fine, no problems....and no expensive battery tray required

Brogers, your method sounds like what I have imagined could be done. Once the aircon pipe is unbolted from near the aux battery, you can see that it will easily move away from the auxilliary battery spot without bending it. It only needs to be gently pushed over approx 2 cm. I'm just not sure what the best way to re secure it will be. Brogers, where did you mount the bracket? Any chance of a picture?

[Nifty07 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nifty07]

Most battery dealers dont know what they are talking about, particularly with car batteries. They like to use clever marketing strategies like 'deep cycle' and 'CCA' then they throw in the 'amp hour' rating just to win you over.

To put it in simple terms the primary battery is designed to supply say 800 amps for 30 seconds (depending on battery) for cranking the motor whereas a marine battery is designed to supply a lower current for a longer time (say 5 amps for 20 hours). AGM is constructed differently and does not like heat (ie dont fit under the bonnet). You will need to decide of the purpose of your battery. If it is for starting the car get a deep cycle cranking battery and if it's to run the fridge get a deep cycle marine battery. By deep cycle, as stated above, it means the capacity of the battery to survive being cycled to a lower voltage.

Remember the old specific gravity of a lead acid battery. Most used 1280 to say it was charged, that corresponds to 12.8 volts. If you want your battery to last longer dont discharge it below about 12.3v or to make your battery last longer 12.5v. In tech college we were taught to think of it as a milk bottle. Only use the cream (ie dont discharge below 12.3v) because if you use up all the cream and some of the milk it wont be able to produce as much cream for the next cycle.

The construction of a cranking battery is similar to a net, lots of surface area so it can supply a huge current but for a short time. The marine battery has a solid plate, smaller surface area, and can supply a smaller current for a longer time.

I have a cranking battery for the primary, a marine battery for the aux (both under the bonnet) and an AGM in the camper. In running trim they are all essentially connected in parallel. I use 35mm cable under the bonnet (between primary and aux) and a 16mm cable to the trailer. Yes I use circuit breakers and a solenoid to isolate the primary battery. I have been installing commercial vehicles in this way for more than 30 years.

So when selecting a battery decide if your fridge pulls 800 amps for 30 seconds or 5 amps for 20 hours and go grab the appropriate battery. Dont listing to the salesperson, listen to the techo.

Nifty

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

A deep cycle is not required, the heavy duty 4x4 and marine have thick plates too these days.
Century and I, recommend the marine pro 720.
It will do everything for you the best, and last the longest in cycle and life.
Other brands are overrated, century are underrated. It's a genuine Aussie made quality product.

You can get an optima, they cost a lot more, they're life (not necesasrrily cycle) should be a lot longer, but not always.
Can't beat the best battery for less, marine pro720.
I wouldn't call it smoke n mirrors, but there's very little if any advantage if a stand alone deep cycle.
If your main battery craps out on a trip, you won't crank well at all with a deep.

Now a d34/78 will cost about double for a 55amp rated compared to the marine or 4x4 that are rated 100amp.

I sell plenty of marines jobs for 4x4 & boaties & they love them, wouldn't buy anything else unless it didn't fit.

So yes as roo says, all rounder is the go!