Help needed for dual battery setup.....

[TRBN8R]

Hi guys,

I am setting up a dual battery system in the car to run my fridge. Currently the plan is to run a Thumper 120AH AGM battery in a Projecta BPE330 battery box. All up the battery + battery box gonna be approx $350.

Now comes the tricky point: charging.... I can run an ABR VSR about $75 or a Projecta DC 20 dc to dc charger about $195. The sparky is happy to install all this for about $200 (includes cables, lugs, Anderson plug etc)....

Will the VSR destroy the battery? Is it necessary to go the dc dc charger or will the current from the alternator through the VSR be ok to charge the battery.....

BTW the car is a brand new Mitsubishi Challenger if that makes any difference.... I am preparing it for trips to places like Uluru and The Cape via the easy way, not the extremest roads...

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers
Mani

[Wallyd]

It depends on the type of alternator it has. In my ex Ford Focus, it had an alternator which went into sleep mode once it charged the cranking battery, and wouldn't top up my aux lead acid battery. I put a redarc dc to dc and it ran beautifully!!! It boosts the charge, then trickles, then once my aux is topped up, it floats....


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[Paul-JK]

From my (limited) knowledge I'd probably go with the dc-dc. I certainly will be when I get the second battery for the JK.
Even if the VSR works it still won't completely charge the battery. Dc-dc charger will give a better charge so your battery will last longer.

[Aus_Jeep]

I'm running a 105agm aux battery and a narva 140amp vsr in my TJ. I have also upgraded the charging system from ECU controlled charge rate to external regulator charging system. I run 14.2V from the alternator now and have zero dramas at all with charging both batteries. From my aux battery i run the fridge, all lighting, compressor, oven, 240v invertor, water pump and multiple 12v/usb outlets in the rear.
The vsr waits till the crank battery has reached 13.3v before engaging and charging the aux battery. I've had this setup running for well over a year now and has never failed me.

The only thing to remember with running a vsr is that you will need charge cables running to it the same size or bigger than your standard battery cables. I have tested mine a few times after running the fridge, oven and invertor overnight, when i start the car it takes around 60 seconds for the vsr to kick in and start charging the aux, if i have given the aux battery a flogging overnight then the main charge cables to it have peaked at nearly 90amps for the first few minutes then comes down to around 10-15 amps before gradually settling to around 4 amps for a few hours.

[redrubi]

Mani,

I run an ARKPAC, will take any battery up to 130AH, has a 7 stage smart charger, 150W inverter, 2 x 12V lighter sockets, a USB socket, a 240V outlet socket, 1 x Andersen outlet & a LCD battery management display.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Andy:pirate:

p.s Totally portable

[AV8]

Mani,

I run an ARKPAC, will take any battery up to 130AH, has a 7 stage smart charger, 150W inverter, 2 x 12V lighter sockets, a USB socket, a 240V outlet socket, 1 x Andersen outlet & a LCD battery management display.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Andy:pirate:

p.s Totally portable

Can you charge ARKPAC from a domestic wall socket. What is the 12v charging rate?

[redrubi]

Can you charge ARKPAC from a domestic wall socket. What is the 12v charging rate?
Yes! Charging rate is self regulating depending on what battery you are using (you enter the type & AH when you put it in the unit)

[TRBN8R]

Thanks a lot for your help guys. Gone with CTek D250s DC to DC charger installed behind the jack. A Thumper Redback 120AH AGM battery in a Projects battery box. All hardmounted on a marine ply false floor. Came up better than expected.

Mani
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