How to Select Dual Battery System
This article is aimed at everybody considering installing a dual battery system to boost their power reserves and is specially relevant to the camping community. A dual battery system boosts your power reserves by growing your 12 volt battery capacity, and is commonly accomplished by adding another battery in parallel with your primary cranking battery. The system may also guarantee safe and dependable battery charging from vehicle alternator or solar panels. Having said that, to ensure a trouble-free dual battery system you will discover some widespread mistakes to prevent.
1. Mixing diverse battery sorts isn’t recommended. Batteries come in different types that are manufactured to perform particular functions. Do your research first. My recommendation is the AGM battery that exhibits superior characteristics when utilized in a deep cycle mode and at a push may be utilized as a cranking battery.
2. Leaving your parallel connected batteries unprotected is asking for trouble. The further apart your batteries are from each other the higher the risk of a short-circuit somewhere. It may perhaps seem like overkill but my recommendation is to have a 100 Amp in-line fuse inside the positive cable at each battery.
3. Leaving your major cranking battery connected to the auxiliary battery permanently isn’t a great notion either. The risk is that the cranking battery becomes discharged leaving your vehicle – and you, stranded. 1 technique would be to have a switch on the dashboard that disconnects the cranking battery from the auxiliary, but what happens when you forget to flick the switch? Much better to install a voltage sensitive relay that only connects the batteries together when the cranking battery has reached charge and automatically disconnects must the voltage fall below a preset level.
4. Using undersized cabling in a dual battery system will stop it from operating correctly. Figure out your maximum current draw, allowable voltage drop, and select cable size to accommodate those parameters. Once more, do your study. Diverse countries define cable sizes in diverse techniques. Often go a size above that required to be sure.
You will discover other considerations needless to say but when you take care of the above you are well on your method to maintaining a dependable dual battery system.
I am a lengthy time camper and I am constantly looking for new and innovative methods to enhance the camping experience . I have made numerous modifications to my camper to make life easier and add a few luxuries.
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