Quote for dual batter setup

[peterdeg]

I asked for a quote for installing a dual battery system in my Sport.
Inside the cabin, in the battery-box compartment of the Drifta.
As part of it, I asked for a socket to run the fridge.

They must be a mighty special brand of socket.

[geopaj]

WOW... $840 in labour plus an extra $300 for the rear socket, and charging for both a DC-DC charger AND a Redarc smart isolator (why would you need both?).

I’d be looking elsewhere or seeing if you can get some support to do the install yourself.

[peterdeg]

Sorry, there's some additional line items in there that I accidentally grabbed in the screen shot.
Items 9 - 11 are for a power socket at the rear to hook the camper up to.

I queried it. Apparently they have fixed price installs for some items.

Yep, second quote will definitely be organised.

[Dicko1]

Be a lot cheaper to buy the materials yourself and have a mobile auto electrician come and do the job..Buy an enerdrive dcdc 40amp charger for around $450...

[peterdeg]

Finally done.

90Ah Lead crystal battery. Ryobi battery charger for the reciprocating saw I take camping.


DC-DC charger under the bonnet. Let's see if it's ok with the heat. They weren't concerned.


Solar input at the rear. Excuse the quality.


A small battery monitor I bought years ago and never used.
Green: Solid > 12.7V (roughly), Slow blink 12.4 - 12.7V, Fast blink 12.0 - 12.4
Yellow: Solid 11.8-12.0 (and so on down the scale)

[Ian H]

I'll be interested in your thoughts on the lead Crystal battery. I'm keen on trying one when my aux gives out.

I don't know about the position of your charger though. Mine is on a bracket just on the side and in front of of the radiator so it gets plenty of air. That was done by a reputable 4WD place so I trust what they've done.

[Pajshomoneroguntero]

I’d say that charger is going to get hot even if it’s turned off in that position. I would have thought the other side of the battery would at least give it some protection from directly radiated heat. I have a 4L Aluminium air tank in the corner where a second battery can be installed. Whilst I know that Alu is a bit of a heat sink this tank is shielded from the engine block by the battery and the air compressor. It is heating from the air in the engine bay. The tank is too hot to touch after a normal drive and that is without pumping it up either.

Do you know if the charger will limit output above a certain temperature?