"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Happywanderer · The Master

Myrtles House Battery

2weis · Senior Member

hw
if you want a 105 to 120 ah battery dont settle for something else
brian

AL H · Veteran Member

Definitely go somewhere else.

Nothing worse than a salesperson ordering what they think you should have, not what you say you want.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

He might think the 80 is ok but IMO I disagree strongly. Go with what you want. See my comments on another post about no such thing as overkill Marj. Stand ya ground. Give Myrtle the power she needs.

bill12 · Guru

Don,t accept it! Buy a 120amp/hr . Bigger is better when it comes to batterys.sounds like the salesperson is trying to have a lend of you. Bill

Sheba · Guru

I don't know what mine is Marj. Will have to half dismantle the back to get to it to look, but I'd go with what the boys say I think. 120 ah seems to be mentioned a lot in posts.

[I will have a look at mine one of these days soon, and also see what the Solar Panel is.]

Cheers,

Sheba.

Happywanderer · The Master

Thanks guys. Confirmed for me I need to go for the bigger one. Will go elsewhere and get a 120 ah. Thanks again. Sometime us girls just need a positive kick in the right direction. Don't want to make anymore mistakes where Myrtle is concerned.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

Hi Marj

you want me to make some calls in the Bay for you

regards John

PS mine is 100ah paid $320 for it

Jack Mac · Senior Member

Hi Marj

Get as big as you can afford/fit.

Don't know what is available in Childers but if no joy call SolarNSat in GinGin. Have always found them helpful. If you can't find their no. PM me and I'll get it for you.

Cheers

Jack

Happywanderer · The Master

Cruising Cruze wrote:
Hi Marj
you want me to make some calls in the Bay for you

regards John

PS mine is 100ah paid $320 for it

I thought I answered this last night but its not there now.

Thats ok John. Going into Bundy with son in the next few day, will look for one then.

oldtrack123 · Guru

HI
Just make sure you can FIT the bigger battery in the space /carrier

PeterQ

valnrob · Guru

Get the bigger one Marj, nothing worse than findng out when on the road you should have gone bigger. Better to have more than not enough, cheers Val.

hako · Guru

Correct me if I understand this wrong, but you said you "want a battery big enough to keep the fridge going whilst on the road, gas when camped".....I do not understand why you will be running the fridge off a separate battery when you would normally be running the fridge (whilst driving) from the car battery which is being charged by the car alternator. The Hiace should have at least a 70 amp alternator which is plenty big enought to supply 15amps for the fridge with plenty left over to run whatever else you have running in the car.
If you only use the battery when camped for lights then maybe the 80AH will be big enough. Going to a larger battery adds weight and $$cost - both which we might need to keep to a minimum.

-- Edited by hako on Monday 25th of February 2013 05:55:33 PM

Sheba · Guru

hako wrote:
Correct me if I understand this wrong, but you said you "want a battery big enough to keep the fridge going whilst on the road, gas when camped".....I do not understand why you will be running the fridge off a separate battery when you would normally be running the fridge (whilst driving) from the car battery which is being charged by the car alternator. --

I have a Hi-ace with a solar Panel and House Battery. I only ever run the fridge [when travelling,] all the time on the house battery, not the car battery. Don't like, and wouldn't use gas for the fridge even if it was a 3 way, which it's not.

Cheers,

Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Monday 25th of February 2013 06:49:28 PM

GaryKelly · Guru

I was wondering the same thing, Hako. I'm thinking of getting a 100ah gel battery and using my current 70 watt solar panel until I can afford to upgrade. Apart from using a laptop a few hours a day, LED lights at night, charging camera/phone batteries, and maybe a bit of TV, I don't see a great need for electricity... and I certainly won't be running the fridge off the battery (except when driving). And on cloudy days? Well... bring out the playing cards.

Happywanderer · The Master

I have two batterys, the drive battery and the house battery. The house battery charges my laptop and a few little electonic gadgets eg camera, mobile phone. And is also supposed to keep the fridge going while on the road. The one I have , an ordinary century is dead.
Everybody is advising me to get over 100 ah.
No way is the drive battery connected to do that. Nothing in the living part of the van runs from the drive battery. Don't ask me why, thats the way its always been set up.
Have a new alternator, well nearly 12 months old.
All the advice I have been given on here and elsewhere has to go at least 100 or up to 120.

Have put the searching on hold for a couple of weeks as having to get workers in to clean up gardens, blown down trees etc from the storm. Once I get that all out of the way will have another look.

hako · Guru

Sheba and Happywanderer - I'm guessing that you both plan on charging the house battery by solar and/or battery charger when 240V available and also that the house battery and car battery are completely separate.
If this is so, then it may be advantageous for the house battery to be connected to the car battery via a dual battery system isolator (see link for sample). With the 2 batteries connected via the isolator, the car alternator will charge both batteries at the same time automatically. It will also electrically separate the 2 batteries when the car is not being driven and the altyernator is not charging. This prevents you from discharging the car battery accidently and ensures that when you pull up to camp that you have a fully charged car AND house battery. It will also allow you to run the fridge at the same time without draining the car battery when the engine is running. Another plus with this system is that if you feel the house battery is getting a bit flat after a week or so camping, then you can start the car engine and it will charge the house battery at least ten times faster than a 100 watt solar panel in full sun.
My apologies if you are already doing this.

Regards

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SBI12-redarc-DUAL-BATTERY-SYSTEM-ISOLATOR-SUIT-4WD-CARAVAN-AGM-VSR-REGULATOR-/281058137995?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41705ed78b

vk6tnc · Guru

I have also used a "Projecta" brand system for many years. It charges the vehicle battery then charges the House battery. It also allows you to jumpstart the vehicle from the house battery with the push of a button. Ideal if you left your lights on etc....

GaryKelly · Guru

Way to go, Hako. Have both batteries connected to a dual system isolator like you said. Lots of advantages. I have a mate who spends weeks at sea in his boat, and sometimes uses his engines to charge up his batteries during cloudy weather or when the house battery is running a bit low.

Sheba · Guru

No need to apologise hako. Sorry, but I don't even remember what I was told about my set-up. It's worked well since I bought it. I know the fridge is supposed to automatically switch to 240V if I plug in somewhere, but haven't done it yet. I do know I have seperate Batteries.

Link should work now.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SBI12-redarc-DUAL-BATTERY-SYSTEM-ISOLATOR-SUIT-4WD-CARAVAN-AGM-VSR-REGULATOR-/281058137995?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41705ed78b

Cheers,

Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Tuesday 26th of February 2013 06:39:52 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

hako wrote:
Sheba and Happywanderer - I'm guessing that you both plan on charging the house battery by solar and/or battery charger when 240V available and also that the house battery and car battery are completely separate.
If this is so, then it may be advantageous for the house battery to be connected to the car battery via a dual battery system isolator (see link for sample). With the 2 batteries connected via the isolator, the car alternator will charge both batteries at the same time automatically. It will also electrically separate the 2 batteries when the car is not being driven and the altyernator is not charging. This prevents you from discharging the car battery accidently and ensures that when you pull up to camp that you have a fully charged car AND house battery. It will also allow you to run the fridge at the same time without draining the car battery when the engine is running. Another plus with this system is that if you feel the house battery is getting a bit flat after a week or so camping, then you can start the car engine and it will charge the house battery at least ten times faster than a 100 watt solar panel in full sun.
My apologies if you are already doing this.

Regards

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SBI12-redarc-DUAL-BATTERY-SYSTEM-ISOLATOR-SUIT-4WD-CARAVAN-AGM-VSR-REGULATOR-/281058137995?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41705ed78b

Apology accepted, thats exactly what mine does. Isolator and all.

George · Veteran Member

Definately agree, go as big as you can.

dogbox · Guru

hw how is your house battery charged

Happywanderer · The Master

Hi dogbox, by the alternator when I am travelling. With the 120 w solar panels when camped.

ken thomas · Guru

Marj
Did you get a replacement for your century battery ?? as that should have been under warranty if you still have it try to have it replaced with a bigger deep cycle battery
I got my 100amp battery for $150 in melb from the agent who supplies the caravan manf, but that does not help you up there
Ken

Happywanderer · The Master

Have put it on hold till I come back from NZ Ken. Got too much else on at the moment. Trying to get all the storm damage cleaned up here before I go, if it ever stops raining, and also do a bit of a springclean. So housebound for now.
Will check out the Century battery. Rod and Heather said the same when I was down there. If I did get it replaced thought I would transfer it to the drive battery as I don't want another Century in the house spot.

patrolst · Senior Member

We have just installed a Ritar 120amphour AGM $395.00

http://www.fridge-and-solar.net/batteries.htm

Happywanderer · The Master

patrolst wrote:
We have just installed a Ritar 120amphour AGM $395.00
www.fridge-and-solar.net/batteries.htm

Never heard of that brand patrolst. Might have to look it up when I get back.

AL H · Veteran Member

Happywanderer wrote:
patrolst wrote:
We have just installed a Ritar 120amphour AGM $395.00
www.fridge-and-solar.net/batteries.htm

Never heard of that brand patrolst. Might have to look it up when I get back.

http://www.ritarpower.com/upload/pdf/2011072111220258327283.pdf

I purchased an Amp-Tech 120 a/h AGM AT121200D by Supercharge last friday for $242. At that price I had to go back Monday to get a second one!

Korr lighting have a deal going on another forum for members for some Power Sonic AGM's. 100a/h $250, 120a/h $280, 160a/h $390 delivered and they are based in Queensland.

-- Edited by AL H on Tuesday 5th of March 2013 12:07:49 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

Thanks for that Al H. Very interesting and a much better price. Might head in that direction.