Which Battery for a dual battery

[slaughts Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close slaughts]

Hi guys, i was wondering what battery you are using for your auxillary battery when setting it up on passenger side wheel arch. ( Where the charcoal canister sits). Would like to know make model and amp hours. Is it a deep cycle, AGM or standard wet cell, etc.
Thanks
Slaughts

[slaughts Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close slaughts]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

Sorry, forgot to mention that I've got a 2000 3.4l GXL, in case that makes a difference.

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

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

because there is not reply here, so I will discuss with you something I know and I install for my car (and intend also) - I haven't got a lot of exp with this job.

- as far as I know, normally 4wd owners install 2nd one with deep cycle battery as it provide a stable and strong battery for their demands.

Depends on your need, and also on your budget, your spare area in your car, you could install the specific size of 2nd one. To get the right size, you should go directly to battery shop, try to put one on your car to see if it fits.

Bigger Amph, longer time you can use your heavy duty devices: fridge, amplifiers, laptop...

- I know that AGM is one brand that they produce good deep cycle battery. I am intending to get one 110amph of this AGM from the shop near my add. They are selling this one for $189 on Ebay.com.au.

- From my demand which I usually turn on music inside the car from the 2nd battery without turning on the car key (4 amplifiers working at the same time, 1 DVD player and 2 other 12.3" LCD), and also turn on the portable fridge all time on my trips, in addition I install my car alarm security to this second battery so it works all time, I think 110amph AGM is absolutely enough for me.

[shcprado Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close shcprado]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

whil shopping for a new 2nd battery the other day i was told that you shouldn't put an AGM (glass matt) battery under the bonnet because the heat from the engine expands the battery like a balloon, not sure if thats true or not

hope this helps

SHC

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

whil shopping for a new 2nd battery the other day i was told that you shouldn't put an AGM (glass matt) battery under the bonnet because the heat from the engine expands the battery like a balloon, not sure if thats true or not

hope this helps

SHC

Some poeple have done this on the forum. I have heard the same BUT I've never heard of anyone having actual issues. Apparently if the gel compound gets too warm it releases gas (I believe) and it pops a seal built into the top of the battery. once this is gone the battery is basically an achor. As I said I am not aware of anyone actually having an issue with these.

[drivesafe Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close drivesafe]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

Hi shcprado and Schaffer, by putting a non automotive grade AGM under the bonnet, batteries like Fullriver, it usually takes a combination of three factors to damage these types of batteries.

Heat, high charging currents and high charging voltage combine to cause catastrophic battery failure and the battery doesn’t just leak, it can literally turn into the shape of a football.

If you can control one or two of the three factors, you give your battery a better chance of lasting for a while.

If you can make sure your battery is NEVER discharged to a low state, you will automatically control the current levels at which the battery charges at.

The lower the battery, the higher the current it will draw, but with standard AGMs, again, like Fullriver, they can NOT tolerate charging currents beyond about 20 to 25% of their total Ah. In other words, a 100 Ah battery should not be charged with more than about 25 amps.

Again, by making sure your battery is never discharged too low, you control the charging current to a level that the battery can tolerate.

This is why batteries mounted some where else in a vehicle, tend to last longer. Because all three factors are controlled.

[luked Member Find all posts View Profile Close luked]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

Slaughts,

To answer what you have asked based on my experience,

I set out to do what you talk of and could only fit around a 50aH battery where the charcoal canister sits so decided to move my starting battery to the charcoal canister and put the aux in the standard, front passengers side location, this allowed me to fit a delkor marine battery, sealed (maintenance free) lead acid, rated at 100aH (got a good price on it) and has since copped 30,000kms of touring in the last 12 months running a 40l engel, no problem at all. Has given me a few days of fridge without charging.

My starting battery I moved to wheel arch and it was a battery with a height of around 220mm, it fitted but was rubbing the hood lining slightly and since has given up and been replaced with a battery of around 200mm (terminal height) will fit in above the wheel arch without any dramas. You can fit a taller battery in above the wheel arch but it has to be spaced in lower on the inner gaurd towards the engine which doesn't leave you enought room to squeeze the charcoal canister back in.

Can take a photo if you like but not now as I'm ashamed at how dirty it is..

I went right round the world several times with the battery choices, deep cycle/marine/all rounder and agm/wet cell (sealed or unsealed) and have to say they all have their advantages and disadvantages, for me it came down to what I was using it for (primarily an extended trip with short stops) not just weekend camps and what I could get a good deal on.

Hope at least some of this helps you and/or anyone else keep their beers cold some day!

[slaughts Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close slaughts]

Re: Which Battery for a dual battery

Thanks eveyone for your comments, my thought process is to have a smaller 2nd battery under bonnet (mainly due to room restrictions) just to be able to run fridge on the road and short day trips (to the beach, shops etc) and set up a third battery on camper trailer for longer trips.