Dual battery system to charge a nomal battery

[Senyetse]

Hi Guys,

Can one connect a normal (not deep cycle) battery to a dual battery system for the sole purpose of having backup battery? I don't have a deep cycle yet so I'm not using the dual battery system in my Hilux at all. I'd like to take my other car's battery along on trips just as a backup and also to run a single 12 V light now and then. Any comments?

[OOOOMS]

Hi Charles, yes you can, the 12 volt light uses few Amps, however donot discharge it completely, this could damage the cell's of your normal battery. If you are using 12 LED, even better.

Test it before going on a trip however!

[ThysdJ]

Yes this can be done. I have been using a normal cranking battery as an Aux battery in my dual battery system for a few years now, and it works perfectly.

I manage to run a Engel 40l fridge off it, BUT it does draw the battery flat if it runs for longer than a day without some charging. Obviously the normal cranking battery has limits and with careful fridge management it does work for limited periods. For that purpose I always plug the fridge in to mains power (where and when available). My Hilux is usually being driven daily when we are on holiday anyway, which then charges the Aux battery enough to keep the fridge going.

So for your purposes to run the odd light and charge camera batteries a cranking battery should be fine.

[Papa Joe]

Charles,

Will "DITTO" Thys's comments:

Last few years I have only run "normally" batteries in my system.
I run 2 Engel's off a single 70Ah battery. Not ideal !
(Largest battery I could go, as I managed to fit it under the hood, after moving a few parts around.)

My days of going into the bush for 1 week with no 220V are long over, so as Thys says:
We tend to drive a fair distance every day, so they get a charge. (& faster than deep or high cycles.)

Do not let them run totally down, turn the fridge to almost zero at night, open only when necessary, etc.
Common sense will go a long way in making this system work.
Never had a warm beer or not had a cold B&C (with ice) in 10 years.

Unfortunately, common sense is not always, that common.

If you are the "no 220V" type & away for 2-3 days away from 220V & standing often, you
will need to go for something more "powerful" or "re-chargeable".

PS: Having the 2nd battery under the hood, often draws attention by curious onlookers,
becasue I can jump start myself. They see me with the jumpers, but no other car, then I open the hood,
connect & swing the motor. Check their faces !!!

Do it. It works.

Good luck ...

[Senyetse]

Unfortunately, common sense is not always, that common.

Now that is the truth!

Thanks guys, it is what I thought but I just needed confirmation from the "manne wat ken". I'll try out the system, I just need to organise a box for the battery and the connectors. I already have a Brad Harrison plug in the load bin so I'll need terminal connectors from that plug to the battery and then connectors from battery to the light. I'll check out the posts on dual battery systems to see what I can do. If anyone has any info to share on this please let me know.