I have 2 x 125amph battery's in my (oop's) our van and my query is do I need to fitt a relay between the 2 battery's to get the best out of them.
We have a 2004 jayco outback poptop with the charging being through power outlet to standard Jayco unit. A anderson plug to battery while driving and a 90 watt solar panel through a setec control unit to batteries.
Woodpecker

Hello Roy and welcome to the forum,

Many folks including some battery suppliers) will tell you it's ok to connect identical batteries in parallel (techo talk for connecting the positive terminals together and likewise the negative). My (first hand) experience has been that this can shorten the overall life of the batteries. Rather than mess around with relays a simple changeover switch can be installed. A suitable switch for this purpose can be purchased at a marine supplier such as Bias or Whitfords etc.

I also recommend the installation of a low voltage cut-out relay to shut off the battery before it is totally discharged. A suitable unit is a Baintech LVC available through Battery World

For more details elsewhere on this forum click on http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=51933&p=3&topicID=33918098

regards,

Jim

I also go with the switch between the battery's but only for one reason, if one fails then it wont drag the other down I dont understand your "recharging them through a standard power point and jayco unit" I would only recharge with a dedicated Battery charger, an onboard with auto cutout is all that I would use your solar should be more than adequate for all but the most demanding power draw

Thank you Jimricho and dave06 I will look at an change over switch though with my memory I will have to write a note when changing over . dave06 I have the standard setec unit fitted to Jayco's in 2004 slow trickle charge and use nearly a amp per hour just to be on. We keep talking about changing vans but still looking so don't wan't to do to much to change it. The solar handles most of what we need but we are not always in sunny W.A. Woodpecker

ah! an onboard Battery charger, now it makes sense! the only place you will have a problem with solar would be maybe vic or nsw in the winter, we have all year round power with ours travelling through all other areas

dave06 wrote:

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ah! an onboard Battery charger, now it makes sense!

the only place you will have a problem with solar would be maybe vic or nsw in the winter, we have all year round power with ours travelling through all other areas

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You Havnt been to tassie then dave
cheers
blaze
ps in saying that I have 180amp/hr of batteries and I reckon I will keep them topped up with a 80w solarpanel

 

ah! Tassie yes of course, "the forgotten isle", actually been there three times in the last two years and had no problem keeping my Batts up to speed, I guess it's all in the timing, winter would not be flash