twin battery split charge setup

Got an electrical gremlin? Ask the question here.
Post Reply
User avatar
ScottieJ
The Boss
The Boss
Posts: 11615
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:13 pm
Location: Chippenham, wiltshire

twin battery split charge setup

Post by ScottieJ » Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:44 pm

Thanks Tony one for the stickies :mrgreen:
Attachments
splitcharge1_137.jpg
splitcharge1_137.jpg (61.29 KiB) Viewed 47635 times
Zuki Build

Steady as she goes!

User avatar
Henry
Suzuki Guru
Suzuki Guru
Posts: 1219
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by Henry » Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:34 pm

Just a very quick note,

If this was mine i wouldn't use the blue connector thing.... useless pieces of ****!

But a very good diagram, i might have to do this myself :)

User avatar
ScottieJ
The Boss
The Boss
Posts: 11615
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:13 pm
Location: Chippenham, wiltshire

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by ScottieJ » Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:39 am

I would agree, scotch blocks are horrible things :mrgreen:
Zuki Build

Steady as she goes!

User avatar
Henry
Suzuki Guru
Suzuki Guru
Posts: 1219
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by Henry » Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:36 pm

hugh42 wrote:The diagram is v helpful, Scottie! But what specific split charge relay unit do I need and where from? I want to get a winch and have decided with your and Henrys advice to go with a 12 or 13000lb one. I have a unipart 60ah 550 battery but want to run winch off a separate battery - maybe a numax cxv-x 1000. I can cope with the wiring but I'm getting confused about which split charge unit to get. EG I'm reading that if you run winch when motor is on the split charger allows acces to both batteries sot here is potentially the risk of killing both!

What have you done about this issue? Also I read that the split charge unit has to be pretty robust (150amp or better)to withstand the huge amp draw when the winch is under load. I only want the winch for a "get out of jail free" card on laning and playdays.

Any thoughts well received :mrgreen:
Have a great birthday Henry!

Scotts department not mine! ha

My birthday? that was last month :?:

User avatar
ScottieJ
The Boss
The Boss
Posts: 11615
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:13 pm
Location: Chippenham, wiltshire

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by ScottieJ » Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:18 pm

Sorry i pulled this diagram from another site.

If you run the above set up with a battery isolator switch, so just using the secondary battery to power the winch it will be fine with a smaller relay like in the pic above, however this will reduce the winch power as it's not getting a continuous charge from the alternator.

However I would recomend something more like 150amps if you dont want to run an isolator switch and it should be fine, thats how they tell you to do it on the X-eng website :mrgreen: I'm just going to buy a relay form X-eng for £20.99 (F**k paying an extra £20 for the wiring though :mrgreen: ) http://www.x-eng.co.uk/X-Charge.asp when i set up mine as it's rated at 180amp continuous and run it without an isolator.

hope that helps.
Zuki Build

Steady as she goes!

muddy kev
Engaged 4wd low
Engaged 4wd low
Posts: 176
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:25 pm
Location: east sussex

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by muddy kev » Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:44 pm

if u just want extra power for winching why bother with all that extra wiring, just connect a second battery. run earth to chassis.run another battery cable from positive to starter feed. job done. just use 2 similar rated batteries and all is good.
split charging is fine if u r gonna run 1 battery totally flat like in a caravan, but i run my engine all day when playing so keeps both batteries fully charged.
cheers kev

Zukipilot
Engaged 4wd low
Engaged 4wd low
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:28 pm
Location: The Universe

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by Zukipilot » Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:08 pm

Just remember that when running a split battery setup as shown above, BOTH batteries will take on the charateristics of the weakest battery. By this I mean that if one battery is faulty, the good battery will give the same charateristics as the faulty battery. This I know from experience.

It also helps to upgrade your alternator
You can go fast, I can go ANYWHERE

User avatar
Highlander
Can I have a tow
Can I have a tow
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:19 pm
Location: Kilmarnock

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by Highlander » Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:55 pm

As Kev says, two batterys wired together is the easiest option, if you flatten both of them winching a Suzuki out of a hole then you're REALLY stuck :)

I'm in the middle of fitting twin 100Amp alternators and batteries to my Samurai, going to run them as two completely independant systems,

one running all the car electrics as normal and the other used by the winch only.

I will have a manual switch to connect the batterys if necessary though so each system can power the other if needs be.
Image

gringo1987
Got muddy boots
Got muddy boots
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2012 8:49 am

Re: twin battery split charge setup

Post by gringo1987 » Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:22 pm

Hi im thinking of fitting a winch and was going to fit a second battery and alternator, any one got any tips like what size alternator and battery. The winch is going to use 15A - 400A when under load thanx gringo

Post Reply