Dual Battery System

[outback_aussie]

G'Day,

I've just bought a 75L fridge freezer and to be able to use this in my Paj I'll obviously need a dual battery setup.

I have found a Piranha style one on eBay for $169 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DUAL-BATT...ht_1080wt_1189) but I'm not sure if this is a good price or if I can do better?

Also are these easy to fit? I know a few things need to be moved but I'm a bit of a novice at the moment lol

Any suggestions for a management system are also welcome, I'm currently looking at the RedArc 100AMP for $170

Cheers!

[Aussie_Dan]

I'm not at all familiar with what tray works well in the V6 engine bay sorry but with regard to the isolator, call up and get a price from your local Ashdown-Ingrams wholesaler.
I got my 100A Redarc Startsmart for $99 as the fella behind the counter did it at Trade price for me. You can also get them off ebay pretty cheap but look closely, some of them do not have the over-ride wire / function. whether or not this is important to you, that's your call.
Cheers, Dan.

[marquis]

The piranha tray is easy to fit, but there are no instructions.
You will have to move the carbon can and maybe the cruise control - others may be able to help here (or search here for posts).

Another option is the arb tray, I suggest investigating.

Cheap way is using a sidewinder 140a isolator ($75) or the redarc sbi12 ($85)

Don't forget fuses/circuit breaker between battery's and circuit breaker for the circuit to the fridge

[budgie]

Hi You can put your other batteries in the rear well.You will have to move your cannister and the cruise will mount onto the tjm tray in the engine bay .You can use a $20 starter solenoid that willl do a good job and alot cheaper.I have done about 6 or so daul set ups lately so if you have any querries give us a call . cheers Rob 0438756281

[outback_aussie]

I'm not at all familiar with what tray works well in the V6 engine bay sorry but with regard to the isolator, call up and get a price from your local Ashdown-Ingrams wholesaler.
I got my 100A Redarc Startsmart for $99 as the fella behind the counter did it at Trade price for me. You can also get them off ebay pretty cheap but look closely, some of them do not have the over-ride wire / function. whether or not this is important to you, that's your call.
Cheers, Dan.

I have found this on eBay for $99 but by the looks it may not include wiring and stuff? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....#ht_1293wt_956 - What do you reckon?? This one does have the over-ride thing, and yes it would be good to have that.

[outback_aussie]

The piranha tray is easy to fit, but there are no instructions.
You will have to move the carbon can and maybe the cruise control - others may be able to help here (or search here for posts).

Another option is the arb tray, I suggest investigating.

Cheap way is using a sidewinder 140a isolator ($75) or the redarc sbi12 ($85)

Don't forget fuses/circuit breaker between battery's and circuit breaker for the circuit to the fridge

Yeah no luck finding help yet unfortunately, but I reckon the Piranha one will do the job. Any idea how much the ARB one costs?

[outback_aussie]

Hi You can put your other batteries in the rear well.You will have to move your cannister and the cruise will mount onto the tjm tray in the engine bay .You can use a $20 starter solenoid that willl do a good job and alot cheaper.I have done about 6 or so daul set ups lately so if you have any querries give us a call . cheers Rob 0438756281

Nah I'd like to have everything in one place and cabling would be too difficult over the distance (plus I will probably use the rear seats a bit).

Will the cruise mount on the Piranha one? Or should I go TJM so it has a place to sit?

I'm not too keen on making my own changes under the bonnet so you might hear from me Rob

Also any suggestions for batteries to use for the second one? I have heard good stories about the Optima Yellow Top (which fits in the Piranha tray)

[Aussie_Dan]

I have found this on eBay for $99 but by the looks it may not include wiring and stuff? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....#ht_1293wt_956 - What do you reckon?? This one does have the over-ride thing, and yes it would be good to have that.

Yep, that's the one Tayler.
$99 delivered is a good price, you won't do better than that and they are evan giving you a pair of battery terminals.
The ARB tray is around $170 and in my opinion, it is probably the strongest tray that you can buy with the added advantage that it completely replaces the crappy plastic original tray (mine had cracked....).
The disadvantage of the ARB tray, as others have mentioned, is that it limits the battery size that you can fit. I have a 60AH deep cycle in mine, which is not big but it will run my CF60 Waeco for 24H and a couple of flouro lights sporadically in the evening, no worries at all. Within 24H, I would have started the car and moved on anyway, recharging the battery.
Do some searching on this forum and i'm sure you will find some pics of the ARB tray fitted to a V6 Paj.
Have a scan through my build up thread if you want to see what the ARB tray looks like when fitted to a NP diesel: http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...ad.php?t=13280

I pieced my dual batt system together piece by piece. Check out ABR sidewinder's website. I bought a few things through them (Battery terminals, terminal block, terminal lugs etc etc), the prices are pretty good and postage is super fast.

Cheers, Dan.

[budgie]

its a pretty easy job to do Its not hard to run a couple of wires to the back and if you need wire etc let us know dont go and pay retail

[outback_aussie]

Yep, that's the one Tayler.
$99 delivered is a good price, you won't do better than that and they are evan giving you a pair of battery terminals.
The ARB tray is around $170 and in my opinion, it is probably the strongest tray that you can buy with the added advantage that it completely replaces the crappy plastic original tray (mine had cracked....).
The disadvantage of the ARB tray, as others have mentioned, is that it limits the battery size that you can fit. I have a 60AH deep cycle in mine, which is not big but it will run my CF60 Waeco for 24H and a couple of flouro lights sporadically in the evening, no worries at all. Within 24H, I would have started the car and moved on anyway, recharging the battery.
Do some searching on this forum and i'm sure you will find some pics of the ARB tray fitted to a V6 Paj.
Have a scan through my build up thread if you want to see what the ARB tray looks like when fitted to a NP diesel: http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...ad.php?t=13280

I pieced my dual batt system together piece by piece. Check out ABR sidewinder's website. I bought a few things through them (Battery terminals, terminal block, terminal lugs etc etc), the prices are pretty good and postage is super fast.

Cheers, Dan.

Awesome! I just bought it so it should arrive in the next few days.

With the ARB tray, do you have to move the cruise control and everything still? And approx. how big is the aux battery? (surely it cant be much smaller than the Piranha tray). Is the original battery section of the ARB tray the same size??

I had the same issue a few months ago with a fully broken battery tray (the plastic factory ones are just crap, and dirt roads got the best of it!!) it was so bad that the battery was hanging on by the terminals and nothing else!! Anyway that was replaced with another plastic one (go figure??) so I'd definitely want the ARB one.

[marquis]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REDARC-SBI12-DUAL-BATTERY-SYSTEM-ISOLATOR-MARINE-BATTERY-TERMINALS-/110800623514

Mount all up and go to an autoelec to make the cables between the batteries, if your ok with soldering you can get some 4b&s cable and lugs (eBay/jaycar/autoelec) with a gas torch create the cables required.

If just a fridge in the rear get a 20a auto reset circuit breaker, narva 20a cig socket, yellow ring lugs, yellow 6.3mm pushons lugs and 6m of 6mm twin core cable from eBay. The cig socket will require 29mm hole drilled in the plastic.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6MM-TWIN-CORE-CABLE-DUAL-BATTERY-SYSTEM-12V-x-10-METRES-ELECTRIC-BRAKE-12-VOLT-/290649117963

If your installing cb etc then get 10m

---
I personally put 10mm2 (about 8b&s) via a 40a breaker to the rear and then multiple fuses 15a to a couple sockets an an Anderson plug at the rear. 10 Anderson plugs are $30 posted on eBay.

Make sure you test the sockets you install with a multimeter (ie pod and neg are in correct locations)

[Aussie_Dan]

Awesome! I just bought it so it should arrive in the next few days.

With the ARB tray, do you have to move the cruise control and everything still? And approx. how big is the aux battery? (surely it cant be much smaller than the Piranha tray). Is the original battery section of the ARB tray the same size??

I had the same issue a few months ago with a fully broken battery tray (the plastic factory ones are just crap, and dirt roads got the best of it!!) it was so bad that the battery was hanging on by the terminals and nothing else!! Anyway that was replaced with another plastic one (go figure??) so I'd definitely want the ARB one.

Main battery compartment on the ARB tray is the same size as the original Mitsubishi tray. From what I can find on here, the ARB tray limits you to a 245mm long aux battery and I also know you have to watch the height of the battery. There are many options out there, in the range of 50 to 60AH if that will suit your needs also.
Do a search for 'arb tray battery' and you will find heaps of info on this site.
Sorry, I can't help you regarding relocation of cruise control etc etc as that was not an issue with my diesel.
I still have the tray installation instructions at home and I can scan and email them to you if you want, although I would not be able to get this done until next Mon / Tues.
Send me a PM if you want to see the instructions to see what is involved.
Cheers, Dan.

[outback_aussie]

Thanks mate - see PM

Because I'll want to keep an eye on the charge in my batteries, what does everyone reckon about if I got a pair of these: http://www.sidewinder.com.au/page76.html

and mounted them in that little 6cm x 6cm cutaway where the drivers left knee sits (the one opposite to the gauge light dimmer)?? Know of anything better? (I want a clean factory look finish)

[outback_aussie]

Anyone found a post / thread on how to move the cruise control to mount a second battery or does this come with the instructions? I can't find any info as most people are doing this on their DiD's not the Petrol models

[exceeding]

Anyone found a post / thread on how to move the cruise control to mount a second battery or does this come with the instructions? I can't find any info as most people are doing this on their DiD's not the Petrol models

If your using the ARB tray then I don't believe you have to move the cruise control, but I think the charcoal canister has to move to the other side of the engine bay?

I made my own tray for my NM petrol which is abit of a rip off of the Piranha tray.
Instead of a folded sheet base I used angle, which meant I could mount the isolator, ect in the dead space under the battery.

http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=19382

For the cruise I just welded an angle bracket to the side of the tray on the correct angle and moved the cruise unit to it. It's a tight fit underneath the charcoal canister which I moved up and to the right and sits tightly under the fuel lines

The new tray (275mm long) will house the starter battery and the existing tray will become the aux battery. Both a linked through the Redarc isolator with 2B&S cable and +,- 6B&S cables in conduit going to an Anderson plug at the rear. Cable goes across the firewall (50amp circuit break installed) and down the drivers side behind the brakeline heat shields.
I've also wired up an overide switch under the bonnet to link the batteries for starting if required.

At the same time I also upgraded the wiring to the ciggie socket in the centre console to 6mm cable which the UHF is also wired to. 6mm cable is also piggy backed off the rear Anderson plug to the rear ciggie socket and an additional hidden Anderson plug to run the fridge.




Also if you do all the wiring yourself and can't get hold of a large cable crimper try this.

Find a couple of nuts small than the lug and cut them in half.


Wrap around the lug and put in a decent size vise and tighten.



and presto!


Hope some of this helps.