I’ve just posted a new article on what I believe to be the best dual battery systems, please have a read and post a comment if you like.
Brett's Blog
Kulkyne Kampers
I’ve just posted a new article on what I believe to be the best dual battery systems, please have a read and post a comment if you like.
Thanks for the dual Battery article. I’ve been reading your information on batteries and enjoyed studying your comprehensive testing processes.for some time and regard it as the most readable and useful information I have found.
I have a bit of a problem. I have a Dual cab Hilux with a Trayon camper which is fitted with a battery and also has a 40w solar panel. The second battery is fed by an old style isolater which I might say has has never been a problem but has the limitations described in the recent dual battery article..
A lot of the time I don’t use the Trayon and just carry a swag in the tray. On those occasions I fit another battery in the tray which is connected via the same Anderson plug which connects the Trayon battery. I’d much rather have Ctek or Redarc charger setup, but for some time have been considering what is the best way to do this and take advantage of the benefits of a DC to DC charger with the advantage of the solar charge optimiser of the Ctek or Redarc.
Lately I have thought that I might ditch the second battery when I am not using the Trayon and invest in a Bushranger Power Tank or similar with itheir various advantages of portability and the excellent accessories which could the also be used when I am using the. Trayon as well.
What would I have to do to set up a DC to DC charger ? Would it be best to have it full time in the Trayon where there is space to put the larger Ctek or….???
I need some thoughts and advice. Thanks in anticipation. Bruce
Hi Bruce, in my opinion products like the Power Tank are just an expensive way to buy a small capacity battery. If you have a good auxilary battery already and you want to charge it better, then a DC Charger is going to be money better spent in my opinion. The aim with a DC Charger is to keep it close to the battery it is charging, it doesn’t really matter if you leave this in the Trayon full time or maybe on you can mount on your ute tray so that the DC Charger can be used when you have the trayon fitted or when you have the swag and the battery in the back of the ute. The CTEK D250S Dual is going be be a cheaper unit for what you want to do. We have them for $359 at the moment, but the Redarc BCDC1220 doesn’t have solar input you have to go up to the BCDC1240 which is about $300 more expensive. If portability isn’t a big issue I’d stick to a standard deep cycle battery, if you really want portability have a look at the Thumper range in something at least 75aH if you’re running a fridge. Brett
I like two have a dual Battery system but the cost are to high.
Good stuff brett, very informative. I have found solenoids get dirty high resistance contacts after a while especially if they dont have large currents through them. when this happens , you get significant voltage drop and low charging voltage.
G’day Brett,
Hope you had a great time in China. My wife also has a Chinese background. A wonderful country to experience. I reckon there would be some great desert and mountain 4WDriving in China.
Thanks for your comprehensive response to my question and I will definitely drop the power pack idea. You mention possibly mounting the Ctek on the tray. I was concerned about vulnerability to weather etc and not knowing you were o’seas rang your Mildura store. The helpful man I spoke to said that a charger probably needs to be weather protected I didn’t ask if there may be a way to overcome that problem. What do you think ?
Also I didn’t mention in my first post that the Trayon battery is fed by a Morningstar Sunsaver 12Volt 10Amp Regulator. I guess that this would be removed if I added a DC charger. Is that so ?
Thanks again for your excellent and easy to follow articles and advice and I am very surprised and appreciative of the fact that that you took the trouble to respond when you were on leave.