Dual Battery Wiring

[macca002]

Jaycar sell them. Heaps of different sizes and selection of black, red, white.

[hvac guy]

Yeah q U still can get them if U want U can borrow my mapp gas and solder
To save buying one but a good thing to have in your kit, u should be able to get the one for the lpg from Reece or any elec supply store. primus make them.

[Quinny]

Thanks HV - I'd just like to do this one right ...

[viking shippy]

Quiny Your on the right track.
I did use what your describing.
they work fine.
a primus torch with a 1kg blue bottle..
Now I use a butane torch from snap its small and portable and other brands are available at Gassweld...Bunnings ext
As in the picture below.
I tin smaller wire joints then crimp on the corresponding coloured wire joiners...
For large battery cable I just feed resin cored solder into the lug though the slit in the lug where the wire stops in the lug collar...
Pre heat the lug so the solder melts
taking care not to burn the insulation by getting it to hot don't worry if you do the heat shrink will cover it up...lol..
The wire will gobble up about 1/2 a meter of 2mm solder...
keep filling till the solder has filled the lug and run up the wire about 20mm from the lug so you get firm non flexible wire coming out of the lug join then I heat shrink the joint...hope this helps mate...

[Quinny]

Top stuff - Thanks mate ...

Q

[Quinny]

Thanks for the help so far boys

Here's the torch I ended up getting. Does the job pretty well:




I've almost finished the battery box. First time working with heavy cable. Don't think voltage drop should be an issue

It actually looks a bit neater than the photo shows ... Damn hard cable to work with on short runs

[Scale]

Looking the goods, loving your work

[Quinny]

I'll give you a tip on the Anderson plugs ...

When you crimp and solder them ... they don't fit very nicely into the plastic housing...

Give them a bit of a bash with a hammer to flatten them out. They will fit in a bit easier.

[viking shippy]

Just solder the Anderson plug no crimp needed...
And now for the cable run up along the chassis..
Nice job mate

[Calblitzen]

I ran my cable inside the chassis rail and protected at the entry and exit points.

[dan_4818]

Anyone used just the volatge sensitive relay. I have mine hooked up and the led light stays on drawing 0.1amps. The website says it will cut off at 12.8v but surely that cant be good for the battery. My battery keeps dying on me although it was playing up before i hooked it up so maybe my battery has just shit itself

[macca002]

I ran my cable inside the chassis rail and protected at the entry and exit points.

I did the same thing with my previous battery install and found the cables stopped mud and crud from flushing out easily with the hose. This time around I am going to look into other options when running the cable.

Have you found this to be the case with your wiring inside the chassis?

[dexterboy]

Just about to start my cable run.

Is there a way of getting thru the firewall then taking of left hand passenger side lower plastic kick plate then plastic sill trims to run cable outasite to get behind back seat.

That's what I did in the xtrail worked perfect for behind seat install.

[Cowboy Dave]

Yeah there's a huge cable run up behind the glove box. If your cable is small pull it through the existing hole with a coat hanger. If large you may need to cut the rubber seal to get it through. Alternatively there's a big grommet right under the passenger seat that it also easy to access. There's room under the sill plastic for wires but I wouldn't think you'll fit anything too big - depends what you're running I guess.

[dexterboy]

Yeah there's a huge cable run up behind the glove box. If your cable is small pull it through the existing hole with a coat hanger. If large you may need to cut the rubber seal to get it through. Alternatively there's a big grommet right under the passenger seat that it also easy to access. There's room under the sill plastic for wires but I wouldn't think you'll fit anything too big - depends what you're running I guess.

Thanks CD

only running 1 positive 6 B&S cable from the battery so hopefully will fit ,ill bring the Earth up thru that grommet under passenger seat from point on chasis.Well that's the plan .

[Cowboy Dave]

If it's for a dual battery install you're better off getting your ground from the battery rather than the chassis. I can't remember why to be honest but I've seen it said plenty of times in this context so chances are it's right. If it's wrong, there is an earth point near the front of the passenger seat on the inside - you'll have to take the seat out and lift the carpet but you'll see a bolt with wires running to it.

[dexterboy]

Yeah dual battery install.

Can someone tell me why I shouldn't use chassis as the earth for my dual battery setup.

I did this on last install on Xtrail and the Auto Electrician hooked it up to the chassis and didn't say not to.Dont want to do anything thats wrong or unsafe this time.

Is it best to run both Pos and Neg 6 B&S cable from battery area to behind rear seat.Im using a Redarc SB i12 isolator for your info.

[macca002]

Hook it up to the chassis and see what voltage drop you get between the two batteries under charge. If its less than .02v then its fine.

[ag9111]

Can someone tell me why I shouldn't use chassis as the earth for my dual battery setup.

Corrosion of the connection due to electrolosys, although would not be to bad inside the cabin.
Large currents flowing through the chassis cause noise on items like CB's and radio/CD players.
Reduced current flow due to high impedence connections that ae not designed to carry current
Plus others

[viking shippy]

Can someone tell me why I shouldn't use chassis as the earth for my dual battery setup.

Corrosion of the connection due to electrolosys, although would not be to bad inside the cabin.
Large currents flowing through the chassis cause noise on items like CB's and radio/CD players.
Reduced current flow due to high impedence connections that ae not designed to carry current
Plus others

Yes like he sad^^^^run both your cables to the battery...recommended for any heavy cable run....not much harder anyway two run two..

[Calblitzen]

I ran my cable inside the chassis rail and protected at the entry and exit points.

I did the same thing with my previous battery install and found the cables stopped mud and crud from flushing out easily with the hose. This time around I am going to look into other options when running the cable.

Have you found this to be the case with your wiring inside the chassis?

No I haven't seemed to have an issue, there are still other holes in the chassis rails to clean the mud out.

[Calblitzen]

Yeah dual battery install.

Can someone tell me why I shouldn't use chassis as the earth for my dual battery setup.

I did this on last install on Xtrail and the Auto Electrician hooked it up to the chassis and didn't say not to.Dont want to do anything thats wrong or unsafe this time.

Is it best to run both Pos and Neg 6 B&S cable from battery area to behind rear seat.Im using a Redarc SB i12 isolator for your info.

Have a look at my build thread, you can see where I brought my cables through for one of the batteries behind the rear seat. You should always run both the positive and negative cables from the charging point. Chassis/body earths rely on too many connections back to the main battery. Should always work from the source.

[dexterboy]

Thanks all for great reply's

Cheers

[Quinny]

Just solder the Anderson plug no crimp needed...
And now for the cable run up along the chassis..
Nice job mate

That's done

[headake]

Quick question for a dumb persons like me


I have run power to my tub three sets of 6bns
Two to sockets one to Anderson plug

If I wanted to convert the Anderson in to being able to charge a battery
In a battery box what would I need to do?