2nd Battery Install |
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gpod
Newbie Joined: 23 May 2013 Location: Golden, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Topic: 2nd Battery Install Posted: 30 Aug 2014 at 7:51pm |
I want to add a second battery for going off the grid for longer periods. Just to confirm, I would connect these in parallel, right? Also, once connected, will a trickle charger charge both when only connected to one? What about charging it from the car or regular power line... any implications with this?
Thanks!
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Matt
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 30 Aug 2014 at 8:44pm |
You'll want to make sure your original battery is still fairly new if you'll parallel a 2nd battery with it. You should start with two batteries that were made at the same time, same brand, etc. The best thing you can do is to get two 6 volt batteries and wire them in series, which gets around a few issues you can run into with paralleled batteries.
If you do go with two 12 volt batteries, always charge them and use them together for best results. No problems with the converter or other charging methods - but make sure you hook them up to the pod with the negative cable on one battery and the positive on the other.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Outbound
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767 |
Posted: 30 Aug 2014 at 9:50pm |
Batteries in parallel will double the amperage. Batteries in series will double the voltage.
So, if you have two 12v batteries, run them in parallel. Also, connect your trailer to the (+) on one battery and (-) on the other. As Doug said, its important to have two batteries of approximately the same age - preferably same manufacturer/model/batch. And, once you have them set up, always use them as a unit. Charge them together, use them together. Your WFCO charger will recharge them just fine, as will the vehicle charge line - no worries.
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Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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WillThrill
Senior Member Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 298 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2014 at 1:56am |
They're spot on with the batteries. Two identical deep-cycle batteries will make dry camping much, much easier for you. The very best are Trojan T105 golf cart batteries, which are 6 volt. They're a bit pricey at around $140 each, but their longevity is the best out there. On the charging, however, I want to warn you about trickle chargers. Never ever use a straight up 'trickle charger' on any battery. Here's why. A trickle charger dumps a small, constant current into your batteries no matter what. This creates multiple problems. First, a trickle charger will take a very, very long time to recharge a mostly discharged battery, and it will never be able to bring a completely discharged battery back up (due to its inability to 'burn off' the sulfation buildup on the lead plates inside). Second, if the trickle charger is indeed giving your batteries enough amperage to keep them fully charged (which it might not), it's probably giving them too much. Too much charge results in boiling off needed water from your batteries, and unless you check and replace the water levels very regularly, this will shorten the life of your batteries. Too little charge will ultimately result in complete sulfation of the batteries (meaning that they will be dead forever). Now the problems with slightly over/under charging your batteries might not be noticeable for some time. Generally, the batteries will just slowly give out, albeit much faster than they should. Eighty percent of deep cycle batteries are dead forever within three years of purchase. Properly maintained, they can go for 8-10 years. That's why you need a smart charger that will sense what state the batteries are in and adjust the amperage flowing into them up or down appropriately. Schumacher smart chargers available at Walmart and the web do a good job of this. Put your batteries on such a charger and leave them connected to it (multiples are fine if connected in parallel) 24/7. A better option for maintaining your charged batteries, though, is a battery maintainer. I've used the BatteryMINDer #1500 very successfully for maintaining my batteries. One of its best features is that it adjusts the voltage depending on the ambient temperature, which makes a definite difference. No 'dumb' trickle charger will do that. It's a slight investment at about $49, but if it doubles (or triples) the lifespan of even one battery, it's well worth it. If you're at home, you should leave the batteries connected to a smart charger all the time. If you're out camping, just connect the Pod to shore power and the built-in smart charger will take over. You can also charge your batteries with a smart charger (not a maintainer in this instance) connected to an inverter connected to your running vehicle (sounds more complicated than it really is) to get them up to around 80-85% charge (sufficient while on a trip) in a few hours at most. Or you can use solar panels (others and myself have posted about this in this forum), but they're slower and dependent on sunshine. Sorry for the long post! I just want you to have the best info out there. Take care. |
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"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien
2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
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gpod
Newbie Joined: 23 May 2013 Location: Golden, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2014 at 10:34am |
Thank you everyone for your posts. All were very helpful and now I have some fun tinkering and toy buying ahead of me. Last question: When I connect the "smart charger", can I connect it to just one battery and it will charge both, or would I connect the + terminal to one and the (-) terminal to the other?
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Matt
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2014 at 3:46pm |
That is correct assuming you have two 12V batteries in parallel. |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 31 Aug 2014 at 8:10pm |
Also true for two 6 volt batteries in series.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2014 at 7:57am |
Doug, How funny. I had written the same thing in my original post, but then realized there is a way to hook plus to one batt and neg to the other and really be in trouble, so I deleted it. I'm basically a cautious chicken |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 01 Sep 2014 at 11:38am |
You are correct, I hadn't thought of that! If you hook up to the +/- on the inside of the series then you'll apply a dead short from the charger across the jumper between the two batteries. Wouldn't be a big deal since older chargers have a thermal breaker and newer electronic ones will just refuse to start the charge cycle.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Pat & Bill whitaker
Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2014 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 3 |
Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 7:35pm |
will, does the battery minder work for ytwo 6 volt batteries in series. we are about to change over.
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Pat and William whitaker
2013 Rpod 177 |
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