Dual battery installation help..

[Johan B]

I have:

’99 4.2D Patrol
52l NL fridge
102amh ACDELTEC battery.

Now I need to connect all the pierces together… How?

Options are:
A NL battery pack in the back or
Install the additional battery in the engine compartment with a SH relay and wire to the back.

The fridge will be in the back of the Patrol.

Any advice…??

[Herrie]

I think it is better to have the battery in the back close to the Fridge. Just remember to run both positive and negative wires to the battery in the back to ensure proper charge for the second battery.

[tour de frans]

Hi Johan
We have the same Vehicles,and you not going to find a spot under the hood for your battery very easy.
If you move the vacuum canisters on the passenger side back in the hole were the abs sits on the newer models,and remove the radiator overflow bottle,you will have enough space.You have to fit a new/smaller overflow bottle and it can find its way behind the passenger headlight.
Or you fit the battery in the car in the back,your choice where.In a battery box or so.Then you need to run cable from the front and 35mm will do the job even to start the enjin from the back.You can link the two battery's with NL solinoid or just a boddy solinoid to link the battery's when the ingnition is on.
You can run one live cable between the battery's.It will save on buying double the cable.Then you use the cab/chassis for the negative.
Hope it help
Rdgs
Frans

[Ross]

Hi Johan,

I have a very similar vehicle to you, just the `98 model, and mine has a turbo fitted. I went the route that Frans suggested, i.e move the vacume canisters back towards the firewall, and move the radiator overflow forwards towards the headlight. This gives (just) enough room to mount the second battery. Due to the heat from the turbo, I made up a heat sheild to protect the 2nd battery. Even on your vehicle, without the turbo, this may be a good idea as the exhaust manifold will still be reasonably close to the battery.

When I bought the vehicle, the battery was mounted in the back but I moved it because I found it took up too much packing space there, and it would have been a pain to design my drawer system around the rear mounted battery.

Obviously having the battery in the front means that you have to run pretty beafy cables to the rear for the fridge, in order to avoid a voltage drop. I used heavy duty welding cable to run a live and earth to the rear of the van, and have my "brad harrison" plug for the freezer mounted onto the ends of that cable. The two batteries are linked via a national lunar intelligent solenoid, and I have a dual battery monitor mounted in the cab to keep an eye on the charge levels. The system works like a bomb!

If you go this route just be aware that there are non-return valves inside some of the pipes that connect to the vacume canisters, so if you replace the existing pipes with something else to lengthen them, you may find that some systems loose vacume after the vehicle has been parked for a while. Also, be careful not to re-fit the pipes the wrong way around, or you will find that the non-return valve prevents a vacume from building up in the canister!!! This is particularly important for the canister that controls the vacume to the diff-lock (which I found out the hard way!!!). The lesson is that when you lengthen the pipes, rather add to the existing pipes than replace them, as this allows all vacume systems to continue to function normally!

Good Luck!

[KOOS BEST]

The way I have run my dual battery system is much less complicated .No solenoids, or diodes or anything.
I have made a s/s bat tray for a 102 a/h , for my GQ changed it a bit for the GU .
Used a welding cable from the postive to the dual bat, installed a manual 2 way switch , to have the current coming from the main battery to be on during travelling for the alternator to charge , or switch it off when stationary so that no current gets taken from main or vice versa.
Earth I took from the engine. From there i used two cable (welding size ) or 16mm square also does the trick with the pos. in ducting all the way to the rear ,to stop shaving or sa electrical short, tie starpped to the chassis with a brad harrison plug at the towhitch.
Near the rear I tap off from this same cable(pos. only) , went through a rubber grommet to install an engel type (cig. lighter ) plug, this is only from the aux. battery.Earth taken from the body.
This system I used in a ser 3 L/R , 2 X 110 L/R, 1 X SER 2B fwd control L/R, 2x Patrols.
Its cheap and fool proof. Yes I do have to open the bonnet to switch over at night and morning, but its a good excuse to do a visual inspection for fluids and oil.

Manual two way switch, this I still use for over 20 yrs

Deltec 103 a/h deepcycle in GU ZD 30

Aux battery power point, remember, now you have 2 , 1 from main 1 x aux bat only

Brad Harrison plug for trailer

[davejones]

Hi Johan / Ross would you mind posting pictures of your set ups (including the positioning of your air filters relative to the 2nd battery)? I'm trying to find the best solution for me TD42 !

Thanks