| [ Total Views: 1343 | Total Replies: 17 | Thread Id: 34716 ] |
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 Kombi Dad
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| posted on January 27th, 2005 at 03:28 PM |
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Dual Batteries in Camper
Hi,
I have been advised by an auto electrician that the output from the alternator of my 1982 camper is too low at 13.6 to 13.8 Volts to support dual
batteries. He has offered to overhaul the alternator before I consider the dual batteries even though I am not having any electrical problems.
I am told by a local VW mechanic is that the alternator is perfectly OK and that is what you would expect from a 1982 vintage camper.
Who is correct? Has anyone been confronted with this issue in the past and what was the solution?
Any advice on how I should proceed with the dual battery install would be appreciated. I will only be running a Waeco 25l frdge, GPS and radio from
the second battery.
Regards,
Ian
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57kombi
Son of Jim - Creator of Good
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| posted on January 27th, 2005 at 04:03 PM |
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try
http://www.justkampers.co.uk
they have a forum that is just for people with campers, they might have the answers to your question.
good luck
Cheers
Dave
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Andy
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| posted on January 27th, 2005 at 05:01 PM |
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Go to a battery place and have both batteries tested (often free), if they are OK put both on a slow charge over night ( each one) to ensure they have
full charge.
Double check there is NO drain on battery (nothing running to use power). Double check all cables and connections are clean and in good condition
(particularly the power lead from starter to battery, earths battery to chassis and Gear box to chassis).
This is all easy, and not much work involved. Then start up and set to fast idle.
Now check voltage (at the battery), and see if it's higher than before.
Is your camper air cooled? If so, probably the has the stock 55A alternator which is sufficient for most campers, unless you stay put for long
periods, or have higher than normal demands on power.
Some had optional 75A alt. but I've never seen one in Oz.
Good luck!
[Edited on 27-1-2005 by Andy]
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mnsKmobi
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| posted on January 28th, 2005 at 12:46 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Kombi Dad
Hi,
I have been advised by an auto electrician that the output from the alternator of my 1982 camper is too low at 13.6 to 13.8 Volts to support dual
batteries. He has offered to overhaul the alternator before I consider the dual batteries even though I am not having any electrical problems.
I am told by a local VW mechanic is that the alternator is perfectly OK and that is what you would expect from a 1982 vintage camper.
Who is correct? Has anyone been confronted with this issue in the past and what was the solution?
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That seems a bit low. I can get 13.8 - 14.0 when idling with no loads on. This is measured at the front of the kombi so there is a bit of loss in the
wires to this point. Try cleaning the major electrical connections such as the battery terminals, and where the battery leads connect to the rest of
the electrics (not sure where these are in an '82). Doing this on my '76 kombi brought the voltage up by about 0.2v.
| Quote: | Any advice on how I
should proceed with the dual battery install would be appreciated. I will only be running a Waeco 25l frdge, GPS and radio from the second
battery.
Regards,
Ian
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This site gives the basics of installing dual batteries. (Dual batteries are on my gunna list, just other stuff keeps on getting in the way!)
http://www.globalserve.net/~jrivers/aux-batt.htm
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on January 28th, 2005 at 01:03 PM |
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I have run dual batteries in a Mitsubishi van many years ago with a 55 amp alternator.... I used a heavy duty horn reley to disconnect the auxillary
battery when the ignition was turned off.... so the standard battery would always start the vehicle, even if the other battery was nearly flat.....
Your alternator output should be at least 14 volts....
The amperage is there OK but You only have 13.8 volts pressure.... It may work OK.... but clean all the electrical connections.. [with the batterydisconnected] including the earth points plus under the earth strap, I always use a stailess steel earth strap bolt and polish under the strap &
where it touched the metal body/chassis.... try to make all electrical connections like they were when it left the factory...
Copper gets contaminated and needs to be cleaned...
otherwise there is some electrical resistance....
Once everything is cleaned up, I think it will keep the batteries charged up OK....
sounds like the regulator may be at fault... do You have an internal or external regulator?
Alternators charge even at low engine revs....
Lee --
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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tassupervee
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| posted on January 28th, 2005 at 05:48 PM |
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That battery voltage is fine.
I used to share an Auto elects workshop and they considered ANYTHING above 13 volts as good.
If you want to spend your money wisely, then purchase yourself a "Smart Relay"
These electronically controlled relays hold the two batteries together untill the battery closest to the cars electrical system drops below a pre-set
voltage and then disconnects the second battery.
You wire all your accessories to the second battery and run them to your hearts content safe in the knowledge that you wont flatten the primary
cranking battery.
As soon as the primary battery reaches the preset voltage the relay kicks back in and reconnects the batteries together.
A point to remember with the parrallel connected batteries charging back up is that the alternator will tend to "look" at the highest voltage
(charged) battery which will be the primary battery and will reduce charging current when that battery voltage approaches the regulated output pretty
much regardless of the state of charge of the second battery.
This means that the second battery will take considerably longer to completely recharge after a fair draining.
There are some pretty fancy (and expensive) ways to get around this issue but its hardly worth the bother and expense!
Just so you know!!!
L8tr
E
Im not a complete idiot, quite a few parts are missing....
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Kombi Dad
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| posted on January 30th, 2005 at 03:04 PM |
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Thanks for all of the info. I certainly will clean up all of the connections and see if it improves the voltage at the battery terminals. To answer
the specific questions my kombi is air-cooled and the regulator is and internal regulator.
One further question if any one has been down this road before, is it worth the expense of a deep cycle battery or should I get just a normal battery?
I am planning an extended trip to the Flinders Ranges etc. in about April this year and will be out for about two months.
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pod
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| posted on January 30th, 2005 at 06:03 PM |
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deep cycle are better as they take discharging better
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KruizinKombi
A.k.a.: Col
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| posted on March 7th, 2005 at 01:58 PM |
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I've just purchased a couple of 'automatic' battery isolator units from Tandy for $40 each (my price). You'll find them in the Jaycar catalogue
for just under $50... check their website.
Kruizin Kol
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mhbourke
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| posted on March 7th, 2005 at 09:27 PM |
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Gps ,radio and fluoro lights will drain next to nothing. Fridge is another thing. They drain heaps of current. So extended stays try for 240v or at
least a solar panel. Have used 12 v when driving keeps everything cold but not when parked. Have got duel batteries just normal ones. If planning long
stays no 240 then deep cycle batteries better, they will pick up again unlike normal batteries. Gas fridge is best or a small generator
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KruizinKombi
A.k.a.: Col
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| posted on March 8th, 2005 at 07:42 AM |
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Hmmm, I've been thinking about that problem too... When I get my new isolator in (working on another project at the moment), I'll try testing the
fridge running on 240V through my inverter, off the 2nd battery.
Kruizin Kol
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Kombi Dad
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| posted on March 8th, 2005 at 08:38 PM |
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Yes. It is a challenge. I am off to the Flinders Ranges in about a months time for two months and will give a jump start battery a go. At home it
lasts about a day before the Waeco says enough is enough and shuts itself down before the battery is flat. Takes about a day to bring the 40Ah
battery back up to full charge. I will trickle charge it from the alternator as I travel as well as run the fridge. Naturally if we are on a powered
site I will run it on 240 and charge the jump start battery. I will let you know how it all goes.
I have also thought of a small generator as they are getting very cheap, though it does mean hauling extra weight ie. the generator and fuel.
Regards,
Ian
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country dubber
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| posted on March 16th, 2005 at 08:55 PM |
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I have just got a kombi that I need to fit out as a camper (its bare at the moment) so I'm interested in the dual battery system. I have also
considered a deepcycle battery with an inverter for my waco frig so if you can let me know how that goes Kol I would appreciate it.
As for the generator I have one and tried it out charging the battery for the frig but it takes too long and is too noisy and heavy to cart around.
Perhaps some one knows about solar panels? What size would you need to keep a battery topped up for a waco frig?
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phatrat
A.k.a.: steve
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| posted on April 23rd, 2005 at 02:09 PM |
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We...stole 2 batteries from a excavator (big mutha f*&^ers) put them in our kombi....
No prob at all.... |
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Kombi Dad
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| posted on June 16th, 2005 at 02:51 PM |
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Hi,
I am back and have experienced using the Waeco (25l) during the 2 months away. Would appear that some sort of deep cycle battery with a way to keep
the charge rolling in is the way to go. I met other travellers using power panels and they indicated that you can run say a fridge (larger than
mine), TV and lights without an issue. I will be investigating the different methods over the next couple of weeks. I also saw a generator in the
Grampians that did not make much noise and that could also be an option to recharge the battery.
I have upgraded the alternator to the same model with and external regulator which now gives me 14.1 Volts at the battery. This should be ample to
charge a deep cycle battery when you are on the move. I did run the Waeco as a freezer off the old alternator during the trip when we were moving and
it was great. The ice in the bottles lasted in the esky for about three days.
I will keep you all posted.
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Andy
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| posted on June 16th, 2005 at 03:38 PM |
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Just some of my past poderings for you to read over!
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=38569#pid349602
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=14624#pid101591
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=14626#pid100707
There was another post just on solar panels, but couldn't find it, do a search though.
I found generators too combersome, none are small enough to store either in engine bay or under car etc, so need setting up each day to run. Also to
charge a battery it will need to run for hours, so even a very quiet one becomes annoying after 2 hrs. Solar panels worked well for me, but they too
have there limitations.
Any further questions, just ask 
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Warrenm
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| posted on June 19th, 2005 at 09:42 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by country dubber
I have just got a kombi that I need to fit out as a camper (its bare at the moment) so I'm interested in the dual battery system]
Our Kombis with dual battery system and running
3 way fridge-we never use gas- worked pretty well but we almost always stayed in CP which 240v really kept everything cold.
We now have Nissan Urvan:o -mainly for air and auto which runs a 12 volt fridge with a auto charger that kicks in immediately we connect to 24OV. It
is terrific. We have just done 7500ks in Eastern States including Tassie and it was perfect. Rsoring VW camper now and we think we may run same type
fridge and charger. It is essential that battery is HD deep cycle.
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Kombi Dad
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| posted on November 30th, 2005 at 09:23 PM |
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I have fitted the dual battery system and am quite impressed. It turned out to be a 120 A/H AGM battery connected to the starter battery via a Redarc
isolator. It works extremely well and gives about four days without moving. Takes about one and a half hours to charge from flat either by driving
the vehicle or using a smart charger running on 240V (mains or generator).
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