William's 150 GXL D4D

[Hubble80 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hubble80]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Next project! Dual battery system. I picked up an ARB battery tray and an Allrounder MRV50 80Ah battery today. I did a trial fit of the tray and battery and the cap connected to the aircon pipe rubs against the side of the battery. So I unscrewed the bracket and malleted out the locking pin then repositioned it. The battery now fits with a 10mm gap to the aircon pipe. I might fabricate a bracket to suit it better... Anyway, for those interested, here are some pics.

Hi William, looking good mate.

Do you know the ARB Part Number for the battery tray. I went to ARB in Mackay and they tried to sell me a Piranha one. He said they are "quite cheap" and said they are $240 plus installation!!! I asked about the genuine ARB one and he says there is no such animal. I told him about the ones on here and he gave me a "i have been associated with ARB for ... blah blah blah" Told him I'd source one from somewhere else!!! He also said the Piranha one requires the A/C pipe to have a "gentle shove" to get a N70 battery to fit...

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Thanks Hubble80. The part number is: 4221030. The product is clearly available on ARB's website. The ARB rep you spoke with seems to be of the hopeless variety.

Fitting an N70 on any tray will involve more than a "gentle shove" of the aircon pipe. I can tell you now that with my MRV50 - the pipe already requires a gentle shove, and by gentle I really mean gentle. I haven't fitted the battery yet as I want to add an additional bracket to properly secure the pipe.

I aim to get the dual battery system complete before my 5 night trip in easter. Pics and instructions to come.

Cheers

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

The Redarc arrived today and I also managed to find some bits n pieces for the aircon pipe so I figured it was time to fit the battery inside.

The Redarc bolted onto the ARB tray.


A piece of metal with two holes on each end which was installed between the two brackets that hold the aircon mount.


An offcut of a piece of plastic with a rubber grip I found in the shed. It holds onto the pipe firmly and I figure it will protect the valve in the event the battery does move into the aircon pipe (highly doubtful).


Battery in and clamped down using the L bolts.


A shot of the clearance the battery has with the aircon valve and pipe.


Next step... wiring...

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

As you have a D4D like me, I'd swap your Allrounder for the Amptech. It is the same dimensions/package, it is just not Calcium like the Allrounder.

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

As you have a D4D like me, I'd swap your Allrounder for the Amptech. It is the same dimensions/package, it is just not Calcium like the Allrounder.

Hmm, this information would have been more useful had I not purchased the battery already lol :lol: . I doubt they'll exchange it for me since it's got a few scratches on it from installation, plus it was on sale (not sure if it still is or if the amptech is). There are a few people on here with D4D's running Allrounders. I've just read the post in your build up about your calcium battery. I usually charge my batteries from home before I leave and right after I get back from camp. I don't expect it to get a full chage via the alternator anyway, so if I get 18months out of it (as you did), so be it, if I get more, a bonus. I'll get the amptech after this one dies. Thanks for the heads up mate

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Hi William, you've done a great job on the drawer and light setup. Very professional and will be very practical too!

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Hi William, you've done a great job on the drawer and light setup. Very professional and will be very practical too!

Thanks Sam, it probably looks professional because I took my sweet time building them haha. It's a slow build-up but I'm aiming for quality over quantity I've taken the light and drawer system to camp last week and I can tell you, it's extremely practical. Being 3m from the ground, it was able to light up the whole camp site (very brightly too). It has the same output as a 35W HID, however, unlike my previous HID setup, this one is directional - hence greater light where I want it and not just spread 360deg. I'm looking forward to your Kaymar rear light build, be sure to take lots of photos for us yeah


D4D, I called up Autobarn today in hope that they'll let me exchange my battery.... and they've agreed to let me exchange my MRV50 for a D50Z! I'll have to wait till next week until it arrives though. I should have the wiring by then too. As always, thank you for your great advice - you're just full of it

Cheers

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

D4D, I called up Autobarn today in hope that they'll let me exchange my battery.... and they've agreed to let me exchange my MRV50 for a D50Z! I'll have to wait till next week until it arrives though. I should have the wiring by then too. As always, thank you for your great advice - you're just full of it

Now all you need is a diode from Leigh 8)

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Now all you need is a diode from Leigh 8)

Don't think I'll need one as yet.. like I said, I mostly charge my batteries via mains - topping up before and after a trip. I don't do much driving once camp is set up. Besides, I'm not completely sold on these diodes yet.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Now all you need is a diode from Leigh 8)

Don't think I'll need one as yet.. like I said, I mostly charge my batteries via mains - topping up before and after a trip. I don't do much driving once camp is set up.

Same as I did and that is why you need one.

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Haha, alright mate. I'll see if I can make do without one first... I'm still contemplating the wiring to the rear. I figure it will cost quite a bit, not to mention the work involved and holes that need to be cut in the trim... So I'm thinking of paying a bit more and getting solar panels for my battery box (which would run the fridge) and use the amptech for lighting. I think this would suit my needs more, that is, maximising stationary amp hours available. What do you think?

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Your alternator is you biggest asset when on the move, I'd be using that to charge your aux battery and then use solar when camped. I'd use your aux battery for fridge and lights. I've never tested mine fully in the bush, as we haven't base camped without driving for that long, but I get about 3-4 days out of mine without a recharge sitting in the garage.

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

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

Yep I totally understand what you mean. I just haven't decided on how I want to set it up yet. The thing is I'll always be lugging around the 105AH battery box in the back, so the way I see it is I have two options:

Option 1.
Amptech (80ah in engine bay) is used for lights.
Fullriver (105ah in battery box in rear) hooked up to solar panel and used for fridge.

Option 2.
Amptech - wired to the rear cargo and used to run fridge.
Fullriver - used to run lights and suppliment fridge when amptech goes low.

I haven't completely thought this through but the main difference would be that I either get a solar set up or I do wiring to the rear. The benefits of the solar option seems to outweight that of wiring to the rear - however, I lose 6 hours of charge on the drive to camp and another 6hours on the drive back. Ultimately, the best setup would be to have both (as you have stated), but it seems like a lot of money just to get a fridge going, especially since I've thrown a few hundred at it already.

Oh the money we fork out for luxuries! I remember the days when we'd go camping/fishing with the bare minimums... where we ate what we caught and used fire for lighting. I can't say I didn't enjoy those days, but these luxuries (fridge and lighting) have made fishing trips a whole lot more comfortable and enjoyable, not to say that we still eat what we catch and still enjoy a nice bon fire.

I guess the only way to find out is to buy a fridge and test it before I decide on which route I want to take.

Cheers

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: William's 150 GXL D4D

I missed why you're using 2 aux batteries?

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

William's 150 GXL D4D

William. You should definitely do both. You'd be crazy not to run power from the aux battery to the rear cargo area. It shouldn't cost you any more than $100. The 75ah aux in my Pajero used to run the 50l Waeco and fluro lights for a weekends camping no worries with minimal driving over the weekend to recharge it. A solar panel on top of that should keep you in power for even longer if the setup runs at a slight deficite and indefinitely if you get a decent panel.

Speak to Mandrake on the myswag forum. I got one of his 100w panels with the mppt controller and it keeps out camper battery topped up really well running fridge and lights.