Paralleling Batteries....

Seanieke

I want to run a few lights, power inverter & a few other bits & bobs in the back of my van & know I'll need a bigger battery, I have a 130Ah battery in at the moment. I was thinking putting another battery in the back & paralleling it would be cheaper & easier than trying to find some "super battery" as I've a few batteries knocking about.

As you can see, the "super batteries" aint pocket friendly http://www.apexbattery.com/universal-battery-ub-4d-gel-12v-200ah-battery-sealed-lead-acid-batteries-universal-battery.html

Has anyone done this sucessfully? The van is a 1.9 diesel Primastar, would the altenator handle the charging??

unkel

130ah is a pretty serious battery to start with!

Depending on use of those appliances of course, you might not need to add on to your battery. Did you try it as is?

Seanieke

Ah the diesels always have pretty hefty batteries to get em up
& going!!

I've not tried running the stuff yet as to be honest I've only had the van a week & am only setting it up but I've a gut feeling the one battery running the bits n pieces would be flatter than Kera Knightly in no time!

Mycroft H

You could probably do with a split charging system and a decent leisure battery (leisure batterys can go flat many times, your normal lead acid will only take that a few times), ie a system that will charge from the main circut but wont draw current from the main system.

Your alternator is probably good enough as long as your not using it while driving!

sogood

Seanieke wrote: »

I want to run a few lights, power inverter & a few other bits & bobs in the back of my van & know I'll need a bigger battery, I have a 130Ah battery in at the moment. I was thinking putting another battery in the back & paralleling it would be cheaper & easier than trying to find some "super battery" as I've a few batteries knocking about.

As you can see, the "super batteries" aint pocket friendly http://www.apexbattery.com/universal-battery-ub-4d-gel-12v-200ah-battery-sealed-lead-acid-batteries-universal-battery.html

Has anyone done this sucessfully? The van is a 1.9 diesel Primastar, would the altenator handle the charging??

The boys over on the Motorhomes forum would probably know more about this sort of thing, leisure batteries etc.

Seanieke

landyman wrote: »

You could probably do with a split charging system and a decent leisure battery (leisure batterys can go flat many times, your normal lead acid will only take that a few times), ie a system that will charge from the main circut but wont draw current from the main system.

Your alternator is probably good enough as long as your not using it while driving!

That 2nd leisure battery sounds like the job alright!! I'll look into that.

And you'll have to pardon my ignorance but if I dont use my altenator while driving, when would I use it...?

Seanieke

sogood wrote: »

The boys over on the Motorhomes forum would probably know more about this sort of thing, leisure batteries etc.

Thanks, I'll give em a try!

Mycroft H

Seanieke wrote: »

That 2nd leisure battery sounds like the job alright!! I'll look into that.

And you'll have to pardon my ignorance but if I dont use my altenator while driving, when would I use it...?

I wasnt too clear there. As long as you arent runnin all the equipment while driving, you wont need a bigger alternator!