Dual Battery kit (ebay)

[GSO-rob]

Because with 0 gauge wire which is 50mm square the battery vapourises before the cable melts.

So your battery explodes and the vehicle burns up all because you don't put in a 100 amp fuse to protect your battery.....
"Horses for Courses"

[DazLyd]

Evening, looking for options for a location for the Redarc solenoid. It could fit on the engine side of the batt box I bought however concerned about engine heat ( instructions warn about engine heat) . Where have others fitted it? Doesn't look like any of the bolts on the fire wall will line up

Also, I understand that the Redarc doesn't charge the aux batt to 100%, is there any problem connecting up a 240v batt charger to the aux batt if we overnight at a spot with power?

[Pete]

To answer all the negativity about why I don't use a circuit breaker, you need to understand the use of a circuit breaker!

A circuit breaker/fuse protects the electronic equipment that is being supplied the power from the following
A) burning out the equipment and rendering it useless
B) causing further damage by burning through the wire insulation that is protecting the equipment from earthing out.

All charge power that runs to the secondary battery is not protect by a fuse as it is not required. The use of 0 gauge cabling which is also protected with black flex conduit is used for two reasons
A)the cable will not heat and melt the wire insulation from high amp loads.
B)Maximum current can be feed to the second battery to allow it to fully charge. This saves me from having to charge it manually every so often to get the battery to 100% charge, thus making my secondary battery last longer before needing to replace it.

Now before I continue, all electronic equipment that is connected to the second battery is protected by there own circuit breaker/fuse.

In the instance of a one in a billion chance that a short circuit occurs, where wires have "disintegrated" between the main battery and the alternator. The secondary battery is protected by its own built in spike/surge protector from the battery controller, this disconnects the two batteries as it is supposed too.

Although if some moron was to remove dash pieces/carpet e.g. to find the cable and then for some reason decide to cut through conduit and cut through the insulation........then yes I would be in deep s#%t!!!

So please before giving somebody a spray job and making a fool of yourselves.........know what your talking about first!


Quote:
Just finished my dual battery install yesterday. Used a projecta isloator. Aux batt is in engine bay. tight fit but got it in.



Good work Kevin, just remember that deep cycle batteries do not like direct heat (if this what your using). So try and protect it with a heat shield......Aluminium sheet will do the trick. This will help you get the maximum life out of your secondary battery.

the breaker is to protect the source not your equipment.

If your cable ever gets crush injury it will heat up, a lot and set our car on fire. Eg in an accident. If you run a fuse or breaker as close t your primary battery as possible you eliminate this risk...so I run one close to the second battery as well.

When you sell the car make sure you tell the new owners you have deviated from safe standards and designed your own cabling standards.

[jack n rory]

Everyone needs to understand that a circuit breaker/fuse is designed to protect the cable connected to it not any appliances connected to it.

[marquis]

The eBay kit has about $400 worth of parts in it inc postage

The redarc can be screwed on I between the batteries onto the guard.

If you had a newer vehicle a dcdc charger would be required to charge the aux up to maximum. The older NM NP will be ok with the older solenoid type.

[Darwiniandude]

I'd just like to add that years ago my brother wired a rear work light to one of his cars, a baja beetle. He used it a few times, it was great. I was young at the time and was about to be taken for a ride, I sat in the back seat. Shortly afterwards the wiring caught fire and there was smoke everywhere, I was lifted out of the car and luckily he had a fire extinguisher.

Don't know if wiring was underrated (probably) or shorting on the body (likely) but fuses are a good idea IMO.