I think the solar panel is an excellent idea to keep batteries topped of while the vehicle is off and is out doors. My question is more about the alternator. I know when adding additional batteries on my boat I had to upgrade my alternator to compensate for the additional load. Are you guys upgrading your alternator as well? Or is the default 130 AMP enough for the two batteries?

 

Sweet rig willrok! She's beautiful.

 

Why would you run two batteries? you ask.

You can run lights, accessories of all kinds, (tools, frig, fans, etc.) off of a secondary battery while your engine is off, like you would on a camping trailer or boat with an outboard motor with no alternator. You can also run your winch on the secondary as well. The main idea is to never have a "no-start" issue if you run your battery down due to aux. related usage. With the dual battery setup you keep the starting battery for starting, and use the secondary for all the toys. One large battery may be able to support both, but this way you get a clear separation and the idea is to minimize the risk of dead battery to start your truck. Like many other off-road ideas, makes sense for some and not needed in the eyes of others.

 

Thanks man.

 

Figured as much. Thanks for the info. Is there a special way you wire both batteries? So that they can both get charged when the car is running but only one will be depleted for usage with accessories? Thanks.

 

I am planning mine now. There is a wiring setup where you use a few more cables and simply connect the batteries and then both batteries are charged. The key is to have two batteries that are the same age and the same identical battery is best. If the batteries are not the same, it can shorten the life of the batteries, I am told. There are other devices that will charge both, and separate them when the engine cuts off, so the main battery is separated from the toys, but both will charge when the engine is running. I am by no means an expert, and still studying my setup, but there are plenty of pictures on how to wire it up with no switching (just a few more cables to get the charge to both batteries), and the solenoid that will do the switching is about $150 buck of so, and there are different places that have them. The dual battery tray link earlier has these dual battery manager devices on the web page in the link below.

http://www.columbiaoverland.com/prod...ttery-isolator

Google "Land Rover Discovery Dual Battery Setup" and you should come up with some pics, and some may be on this forum.

 

I just did this in my boat and and used an Digital Voltage Sensing Relay. The concept is exactly the same marine or automotive:

The DVSR (Digital Voltage Sensing Relay) allows charging of two independent batteries from a single charging source (alternator). When the voltage on the start battery rises to a charged level, the DVSR engages allowing the 2nd battery to charge. When charging stops after the car is turned off, the DVSR will disengage, isolating the two batteries from each other. Allowing accessories to run off the second (house) battery without a physical link to the start battery so it can't accidentally be drained.

 

Willrok, that's one sexy Disco!

That battery tray is on my list of things to do.

 

Thanks man. Unfortunately, she caught the overheat bug that's been going around. I'm working things out now... Thinking its the radiator...

 

hi there, late to the forum game since this OP, as im catching up to the dual battery system looking for a tray that would work in 2020. has anyone since found one that would work. Columbia overland is out of commission.