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Reply To: Dual Battery System

Johan Nel
Johan Nel
Johan Nel on

In my opinion, dual battery systems should be designed around the specific needs of the owner and not generalised as only one way to go and that is with a deep cycle battery setup.  I have a Ford Ranger that I use as general adventure and tow vehicle. I have fitted a normal lead cell battery, 180Ah Truck battery, connected via a NL relay system.

This setup works 100% for me in a off-road, camping without power situation, as I cash in on the ability of the second battery to be recharged within a 30 min game drive.  This supplies power for two fridges (80 l NL in trailer + 40 l Engel in my truck) set 3 and -3 degrees. The one used as a fridge is switched off at night. An inverter is also used at night to power my C-pap machine while I sleep. I have determined that my power needs would not exceed 30Amps per night and rationed myself to just that.

During a recent 5 week trip, circling the Okavango delta and at one stage camping for 8 consecutive nights in Botswana Parks, wihout electricity,  I have never depleted the second battery below 80% of its capacity.  The freezer in the trailer was disconnected during game drives and only the one fridge was powered. When not travelling, I would run both freezers for at least 6 hours before going on a game drive again.

My point is, deep cycle batteries cannot be charged in a short period of time, but large normal starting batteries can. Even if need to be, quickly be recharged by solar panel, in a fraction of the time a deep cycle battery.

This works for a situation where one can take a daily game drive and are on the roll most of the time and certainly works for me. ( The cost of such a large Truck/Tractor battery is approx R2500)

My 2c